At the 65th Krakow Film Festival, two documentaries have been announced in the International Documentary Competition: Lovers in the Sky by Fermin de la Serna and Redlight to Limelight by Bipuljit Basu. While set in vastly different worlds—one in a tranquil Peruvian town and the other in the pulsating suburbs of Calcutta—both films provide an intimate look into the lives of transgender individuals and sex workers, challenging cinematic tropes of victimhood and marginalisation.

Supported by the #Berlinale World Cinema Fund, Lovers in the Sky follows Cristina and La Bonita, transgender cooks aboard Peruvian cargo ships. As they navigate economic struggles and religious prejudice, Cristina dreams of motherhood through surrogacy, while La Bonita seeks divine acceptance. Their journey is a vibrant, deeply human exploration of resilience and identity.

Conversely, Redlight to Limelight, backed by the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Fund, introduces #CAM ON#, an independent film collective founded by brothel workers in Calcutta. Initially an escape, filmmaking evolves into an act of defiance against systemic discrimination. The documentary captures how cinephilia transforms lives, offering its subjects a rare agency and voice in an often-unforgiving world.

The 65th Krakow Film Festival runs from 25 May to 1 June 2025, with online screenings on KFF VOD from 30 May to 15 June.