It’s been nearly a week since Onir has returned from Amsterdam, but a mere mention of the city is enough for him to break into a smile. And for good reason. On March 29, the filmmaker’s We Are Faheem & Karun received the Hivos Free to Be Me Award 2026 at the Roze Filmdagen Festival in the Dutch capital. The award is given to filmmakers whose works enhance LGBTQIA+ acceptance and visibility.

“I am overwhelmed, humbled, and honoured to be conferred this prestigious award. This validated my journey,” said Onir. Starring Mir Tawseef and Akash Menon, We Are Faheem & Karun tells the story of a Kashmiri man and a security guard, who find love in each other even as political tensions rise in Kashmir. Describing the movie as “an act of resistance”, the festival, in its statement, said, “We follow two men who do not doubt who they are, but are confronted with an environment that tries to make them invisible.”

A still from the film. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Believing that the recent win will bring attention to the queer romance ahead of its June release, Onir added, “This award means a lot not just for me and the entire team, but also for the queer voices from South Asia where we are still fighting for the rights to live as equals and to resist invisibility.”