UK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAMME FOR 28TH EDITION, EXPLORING WHAT STORIES STILL BIND US TOGETHER
Festival begins with the UK Premiere of Ghost School, 1st May, BFI Southbank
With director, Seemab Gul, in attendance
Closing Film is the UK Premiere of Shadowbox, 10th May, BFI Southbank
With acclaimed lead actor, Tillotama Shome, in attendance
Festival to host the European Premiere of the 4K restoration of the iconic
Umrao Jaan, 4th May, BFI IMAX
With director, Muzaffar Ali, in attendance
Magical Melodies: A Special Tribute to O.P. Nayyar, Asha Bhosle and Dharmendra, Performed by acclaimed vocalists, Mohammed Vakil and Rikta Mukherjee, 8th May Blue Room, Harrow
Festival runs 1st-10th May in venues across London, Leicester, Coventry
And Cumbernauld
“Stories That Bind Us” themed programme of films and events exploring connection, Identity and shared experiences across borders, generations and belief systems
UK Asian Film Festival – the world’s longest-running South Asian film festival outside the Subcontinent, known for bold, independent South Asian cinema, has unveiled the full programme for its 28th edition. Running across venues in London, Leicester, Coventry and Cumbernauld from Friday 1st to Sunday 10th May, UK Asian Film Festival is presented by Tongues on Fire and is supported by the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding. The Festival is powered by broadcast partner, Lyca Radio.
Each year, UK Asian Film Festival curates a multifaceted programme that extends beyond cinema, encompassing a wide range of events including talks, workshops, live performances, visual arts showcases and masterclasses. Central to its offering is the annual Short Film Competition, led by Saz Vora, which recognises emerging talent and celebrates cinematic voices connected to South Asia, reflecting the richness and diversity of the region’s storytelling traditions. Alongside this, the festival also presents the Emerging Curators Lab, led by Dr. Ashvin Devasundaram, a dedicated initiative supporting the next generation of curators and cultural programmers.
With a continued focus on meaningful and thought-provoking narratives, the festival provides a platform for stories that challenge perspectives, amplify underrepresented voices and engage with contemporary cultural conversations.
This year’s theme, “Stories That Bind Us”, explores how connection is forged, tested and reimagined across borders, generations and belief systems. Through a compelling line-up of films and events, the festival brings together political and social ideas with powerful storytelling, inviting audiences to connect, reflect and engage with stories that resonate across cultures and communities.
The Opening Gala will take place at BFI Southbank, London on Friday 1st May, featuring the England Premiere of the magical-realist tale, Ghost School (Pakistan, 2025; Dir: Seemab Gul; Language: Urdu with English subtitles). Seen through the eyes of ten-year-old, Rabia, Ghost School follows a village child trying to make sense of rumours, fear and the sudden closure of her school. Tender and quietly powerful, the film explores uncertainty, imagination and systemic neglect in rural Pakistan. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director, Seemab Gul.
The Closing Film will be the UK Premiere of Shadowbox (India, 2025; Dir’s: Tanushree Das, Saumyananda Sahi; Language: Bengali with English subtitles) at BFI Southbank, London on Sunday 10th May. When her husband is drawn into a murder investigation, Maya struggles to hold her family together as love, shame and uncertainty begin to close in. Shadowbox is an intimate and emotionally charged portrait of a family negotiating pressure, fragility and unresolved pain. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with lead actor, Tillotama Shome.
The festival’s Closing Gala at BFI Southbank, London on Sunday 10th May will present the annual UK Asian Film Festival Awards, where legendary filmmaker, Muzaffar Ali, best known for Umrao Jaan, will be honoured with the Golden Flame Lifetime Achievement Award. The festival will also present a special tribute to Zubeen Garg, singer, composer and filmmaker, and one of Northeast India’s most influential cultural icons.
The festival will host a range of special events including a masterclass with acclaimed writer-director, Seemab Gul, on her debut, Ghost School, at BFI Southbank, London on Saturday 2nd May; an in-conversation session with leading Hindi cinema lyricist and screenwriter, Kausar Munir – a contemporary poet and the only woman to win multiple Filmfare Awards for lyric writing; alongside noted film historian, Nasreen Munni Kabir, at BFI Southbank, London on Saturday 2nd May; a feminist poetry workshop and open mic, Remembering South Asian Feminist Poetics, led by writer and educator, Dr. Mona Manjot Dhaliwal, exploring themes of identity and resistance, at Damsel Collective, London on Thursday 7th May; and Future Forward: Evolving Landscape of UK–India Co-Production, a panel on cross-border collaboration and opportunities led by filmmaker, Amit Kaur, at BFI Southbank, London on Saturday 9th May.
As part of its Musical strand, the festival will present Magical Melodies: Tribute to the late O.P. Nayyar, Dharmendra and Asha Bhosle, a nostalgic live concert celebrating the golden era of Hindi cinema, featuring acclaimed vocalists, Mohammed Vakil and Rikta Mukherjee, at Blue Room Sports Venue, Harrow on Friday 8th May.
Mera Lyari (Pakistan, 2025; Dir: Abu Aleeha; Language: Urdu with English subtitles) screens at BFI Southbank, London on Saturday 2nd May. Set in the streets of Lyari, the film follows women footballers fighting for freedom, dignity and a future on their own terms, navigating social pressures through their love of the game. There are two additional screenings at Phoenix, Leicester on Monday 4th May and also at Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry on Sunday 10th May.
Pukam Pukai (India, 2025; Dir: Abhay Punjabi; Language: Hindi with English subtitles) will be presented at Metro Cinema, Harrow on Sunday 3rd May, with an additional screening on Thursday 7th May at Phoenix, Leicester. Set during a blistering Delhi summer, the film follows three young dreamers from very different worlds whose lives unexpectedly intertwine, unfolding as a warm and spirited coming-of-age story about friendship, resilience and chasing impossible dreams.
The festival will also showcase the 4K restoration European Premiere of Umrao Jaan (India, 1981; Dir: Muzaffar Ali; Restored by the National Film Archive of India; Language: Urdu with English subtitles) at BFI IMAX, London on Monday 4th May. This classic period film traces the journey of a courtesan and poet in Lucknow. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director, Muzaffar Ali. An additional screening followed by Q&A with director will take place at Phoenix, Leicester on Saturday, 9th May.
The festival’s Documentary strand will include screenings of W.R.A.P. – We Really Are Pakistan (2025) and Edavela Stillness (2025) at Garden Cinema, London on Sunday 3rd May alongside Mamun-In Praise Of Shadows (2025) and Friends Of Jilipibala (2025). W.R.A.P. follows underground rappers from Karachi navigating identity and ambition through music, while Edavela Stillness offers an immersive exploration of classical dance and emotion. Mamun-In Praise Of Shadows presents an intimate portrait of renowned photographer, Nasir Ali Mamun, reflecting on his life and artistic legacy; and Friends Of Jilipibala captures a tamarind tree’s living world through a child’s eyes, as encroaching urban noise and destruction threaten its fragile ecosystem. The strand also brings Shunya, Being Prafulla Mohanti (2025) to Riverside Studios, London on Wednesday 6th May. The film is a tender portrait of artist-writer, Prafulla Mohanti, exploring memory, migration and creative renewal. It is directed by Soumya Jyoti Pratihari and supported by the AHRC-funded India-UK research project, ‘Connecting Creative Industries and Cultural Heritage’.
The festival will feature the European Premiere of 100 Sunsets (Canada, 2025; Dir: Kunsang Kyirong; Language: English, Tibetan with English subtitles) at Rich Mix, London on Monday 4th May. Set in Toronto’s Tibetan neighbourhood of Parkdale, the film follows Kunsel as she forms a bond with her neighbour, Passang, whose plans to escape an unhappy marriage draw them into a web of secrets and uncertainty.
Additional premieres in the programme include The Unexpected (United Kingdom, 2025; Dir: Debasish Banerjee; Language: Bengali, English), screening at Act One Cinema, London on Sunday 3rd May – a brooding meditation on fate and consequence as two stories unfold across crime and memory; and the European Premiere of Adamya / The Unbroken (India, 2025; Dir: Ranjan Ghosh; Language: Bengali with English subtitles) at Rich Mix, London on Monday 4th May, following a young man on the run through a conflict-scarred landscape in a powerful reflection on resistance and identity.
Also featured is Sililare (Sri Lanka, 2026; Dir: Shirly Samarasinghe; Language: Sinhala with English subtitles), presented at Metro Cinema, Harrow on Tuesday 5th May – a tender coming-of-age story of a young dancer navigating tradition and self-discovery; alongside Ru Ba Ru (India, 2024; Dir: Kapil Tanwar; Language: Hindi, Rajasthani) at Riverside Studios, London on Wednesday 6th May – a poignant long short exploring sisterhood, dignity and choice.
The programme continues with Calorie (Canada, 2025; Dir: Eisha Marjara; Language: English, Punjabi) at Riverside Studios, London on Wednesday 6th May – a nuanced, intergenerational story of family and identity with an additional screening Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry on Saturday 2nd May; Bayaar / Dust And The Wind (United Kingdom, 2025; Dir: Anshul Tiwari; Language: Hindi with English subtitles) at Rich Mix, London on Saturday 9th May – a reflective chamber drama inspired by Sartre; and Kanwal (India, 2024; Dir: Kuljeet Singh; Language: Punjabi with English subtitles) at Metro Cinema, Harrow on Tuesday 12th May – an intimate portrait of the life and legacy of writer, Jaswant Singh Kanwal.
Curated Connections: Long Stories That Stay With You at Rich Mix, London on Thursday 7th May brings a series of long shorts from and about South Asian experiences, addressing the 2026 festival theme, “Stories That Bind Us”. My Comrade (India, 2025; Dir: Tathagata Ghosh; Language: Bengali with English subtitles) follows a wounded rebel finding refuge with a tribal couple. Tasrufdaar / Djinns of Kashmir (India, 2025; Dir: Kapil Mattoo; Language: Kashmiri with English subtitles) traces a man drawn into a haunting family secret. Gudgudi (India, 2023; Dir: Abhiroop Basu; Language: Hindi with English subtitles) follows a mother and daughter navigating communal unrest. Time After Time (Pakistan, 2025; Dir: Tabish Habib; Language: Urdu with English subtitles) follows a father searching for his lost daughter through memory and love.
As part of the festival’s LGBTQ+ strand, Mental Health & LGBTQI+ Lives: Cinema and Conversations at Kings College, London on Thursday 7th May is presented in partnership with Queer Asia and Queer East, bringing together films and discussion exploring mental health and queer Asian experiences across India, Malaysia, and Indonesia alongside practitioners and academics. The programme includes The Pact (India, 2026; Dir: Lakshmi Iyer; Language: Hindi with English subtitles), following a son returning to his late father’s home and uncovering buried memories; Heels To Heal (Malaysia, 2024; Dir: Justice Khor; Language: Malay with English subtitles), a musical documentary on drag queens finding healing through performance; and My Therapist Said, I Am Full Of Sadness (Indonesia, 2024; Dir: Monica Tedja; Language: Indonesian with English subtitles), a reflective documentary on belonging, family and queer identity.
As part of the festival’s British Asian strand this year, a series of screenings at Kiln Theatre, London spotlights stories rooted in the lived realities of British Asian life. Taking place across the week, the programme brings together narratives exploring identity, belonging and the complexities of community and family. It includes Never Had A Chance (United Kingdom, 2025; Dir: Jazz Bhalla; Language: English, Punjabi) on Tuesday 5th May, a tense and heartfelt drama following a young man in Hounslow navigating loyalty, love and survival; The Model (United Kingdom, 2025; Dir: Marcus Flemmings; Language: Arabic, English, French, Hindi with subtitles) on Friday 8th May, which traces a woman’s journey to Morocco as she confronts questions of identity, inheritance and memory; and Touché (United Kingdom, 2026; Dir: Leif Johnson and Parvinder Shergill; Language: English) on Saturday 9th May, a warm and stirring story set in the world of fencing, exploring belonging, chosen family and personal transformation.
UK Asian Film Festival presents a wide-ranging programme of films each year, complemented by an engaging line-up of talks, interactive workshops, live performances, exhibitions and masterclasses. It also presents its annual Short Film Competition, recognising outstanding films connected to South Asia and celebrating the breadth and diversity of South Asian arts and culture.
The festival’s industry and learning programme, New Writing from the UK Asian Film Festival: Screenwriters Inc., by Mihir Chitre is taking place at BFI Reuben Library, London on Saturday 2nd May. It opens with award-winning writer, poet and filmmaker, Mihir Chitre, introducing his book Screenwriters Inc. 33 Masters On The Art And Craft Of Screenwriting, exploring the creative processes behind landmark Indian films such as Panchayat, Jab We Met, Court and Dangal, in conversation with Dr. Toyeba Mushtaq.
The programme continues at BFI Blue Room, London on Saturday 2nd May with Creative Minds of Tomorrow, a workshop hosted by Sharmila Ganguli focused on filmmaking, curation and creative careers. The programme includes a Young Writers Workshop led by historian and author, Shrabani Basu, who will guide participants through storytelling and research, drawing on her work, including Victoria & Abdul and Spy Princess. It also features Brown Women in Films, led by Marium Jeelani and Sonya Cheema, centring storytelling, representation and mentorship for South Asian women in cinema, alongside Global Majority: Telling Our Stories, a conversation with journalist, Josy Joseph, in dialogue with Nabanita Sircar, exploring how investigative journalism translates into screen narratives through works such as Black Warrant and The Leopard’s Tribe.
Young Tongues, Unlimited Impact will take place at Metro Cinema, London on Sunday 3rd May in collaboration with New Young Blood. This dynamic platform spotlights emerging talent from young British Asian communities, championing the next generation of creatives through mentorship, visibility and meaningful opportunities for growth.
The festival’s Short Film Showcase will be presented at BFI Southbank, London on Friday 2nd May, featuring a compelling selection of films including Anger, Bhangra Baby, The Building Blocks Of A Bridge, Hungama, Lost Harmonies, In Winter, Memories and Miseries, Poems of the Enslaved, Relay/The Stolen Tales and Three Folds Of The Same Silk, bringing together bold and personal storytelling across a range of themes and forms.
UK Asian Film Festival Founder and Director, Dr Pushpinder Chowdhry MBE, says, “UK Asian Film Festival is delighted to unveil its full programme for this year’s festival, bringing together an inspiring range of films, interactive events and diverse voices that reflect the richness and creativity of our community. We are proud to present a programme that celebrates bold and outstanding storytelling, sparks important and difficult conversations and showcases extraordinary work from established and emerging filmmakers. We look forward to welcoming audiences to what promises to be an elated celebration of cinema experience.”
UK Asian Film Festival Creative Director, Samir Bhamra says, “This year’s films are brilliant, funny and joyous, yet also daring and deeply political. They bring astonishing clarity and invention to the screen, offering fresh perspectives on identity, memory and belonging. From intimate family dramas to fearless new voices in South Asian cinema, our selection captures life in all its complexity. These films remind us that storytelling is not just entertainment – it is a way of seeing each other again. At a moment when division is growing louder across our societies, the festival is an invitation to come together, listen deeply and rediscover the solidarity that will carry our communities through whatever lies ahead.”
CEO, Lyca Radio Network, Raj Baddhan, says, “It’s a delight to be working with UK Asian Film Festival. This year’s line-up is once again very impressive. The films, events and celebration of South Asian cinema continue to thrive after 28 years of UKAFF. Stay tuned for daily updates across Lyca Radio Network as we come together to celebrate the essence of South Asian cinema.”
For the full festival programme, click here.