Onir's film 'We Are Fahim and Karun' Wins Big at Reelout 2026, Sava Javeid Honoured

Filmmaker Onir's latest film, "We Are Fahim and Karun" is getting a lot of attention from around the world. The 27th Reelout Queer Film Festival 2026 was recently held in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The film's Kashmiri debutante, Sava Javeid, was given the Kim Renders Memorial Award for Best Supporting Performance.

Onir’s Film Shines Among 65 Global Queer Stories

This is quite a big achievement for Onir's film. The film was competing with about 65 other great Reelout queer stories, which included videos and documentaries from 15 different countries.

If we look back at the festival's history, the Reelout Queer Film Festival started in 1999. It began as a small event that presented films for a local audience, but by and by it has grown into a big international festival. The main focus of the festival is to share stories from the LGBTQ+ community, especially gay stories. Onir's film has made a special impact on this platform.

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" We Are Fahim and Karun" is a love story about two men living in the beautiful valleys of Kashmir. Karun is a young security guard from South India. He is sent to work in a small village in Kashmir. There, he meets Faheem, who is a Kashmiri student. Faheem is simple and kind, and these qualities attract Karun. Over time, they fall in love, but they face many problems from society, religion, and fanaticism.

But as their relationship grows stronger, they have to deal with the challenges of their environment and the opinions that orthodox-minded people have about them.

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Viewers are commenting that the film is a brave and kind story, set in a place full of hatred. It is the first 'queer' film ever made in Kashmir. Sava Javeid plays Faheem's mother. She is a mother who accepts her son's identity and choices without question. She wants to protect him no matter what.

Filmmaker Onir first met Sava in Srinagar, where she runs a heritage homestay. Sava's personality made a strong impression on Onir. So when he was choosing actors for the film, he thought of her. In real life, Sava has two sons who are the same age as the characters in the movie. She has loved acting in theater since her school days, so she decided to take on this role.

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Onir said about Sava, "I am very proud of Sava. When I worked with her in the first part of the film, I saw how natural and good an actor she is. That is why I decided to give her a bigger part in the film."

The film has already been shown at more than 30 international film festivals. It has also won the 'Best Director' award at the UK Asian Film Festival. Onir is planning to release the film in India, and he hopes to show it to audiences around June 2026.

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People on social media are sharing their thoughts about the movie. Many say that telling a story like this, especially about Kashmir, takes a lot of courage. They are also praising the acting of the cast. Experts say this is one of Onir's best films so far. Onir has many more projects coming, but right now, the success of "We Are Fahim and Karun" has caught everyone's attention.