This Lighthouse double bill pairs two queer love stories across very different forms and settings.

Cactus Pears follows Anand (Bhushaan Manoj), a Mumbai call-centre worker who returns to his rural Maharashtra village after his father's death to observe the traditional ten-day mourning ritual. Under family pressure to marry, he reconnects with his childhood friend Balya (Suraaj Suman), who faces the same scrutiny as an unmarried man. The two find comfort in each other's company during the mourning period, and a tender romance gradually unfolds. Cactus Pears premiered at Sundance 2025, where it won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic competition.

Also screening is Two Black Boys in Paradise (9 mins, 15), an animated adaptation of Dean Atta's poem following two boys on a journey into a world of love and self-acceptance.

Lighthouse is a fortnightly discovery strand showcasing films slightly off the beaten track. Screenings are Pay What You Feel, so you choose a price that suits you.