EXCLUSIVE: The world premiere of Rumana Molla’s Indo-Belgian filmMinimumand the UK premiere of Indian actor Anshuman Jha’s directorial debut Lord Curzon Ki Haveli will be on show at this year’s UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF).
Prominent figures including actors Shabana Azmi and Karisma Kapoor will be feted for their roles in Indian cinema at the annual event.
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UKAFF, which says it is the longest running South Asian film festival in the world, will run its 26th edition from May 2 to 12 in venues across London, Leicester and Oxford.
Themed ‘Climate of Change,’ the festival will open with the premiere ofMinimumat the BFI IMAX in London, whileLord Curzon Ki Haveliwill close out the event at the Regent Street Cinema.
Indian industry veterans such as Kapoor, playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy and designer Rina Dhaka are expected to attend the closing gala in London, with Kapoor and Krishnamurthy set to be feted for their contributions to cinema. Aligned to this year’s festival theme, Dhaka – whose designs have been worn by Naomi Campbell and Uma Thurman – will discuss sustainable fashion, sustainability and her career trajectory alongside a runway show of her most iconic pieces from down the years.
Meanwhile, the festival will celebrate 50 years of Azmi’s projects with screenings of her most well-known films, including her debut, Ankur, Deepa Mehta’s pioneering 1996 romanceFire and her most recent outing,Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Azmi will be in conversation onstage following each screening.
Director Molla, actors Saba Azad and Namit Das, along with producer Shiladitya Bora, will be in attendance for the screening ofMinimum, which follows newlywed Indian woman Fauzia travelling to Belgium following an arranged marriage over the phone where she finds herself trapped in a web of lies and embarks on a journey of self discovery.
Black comedy-thrillerLord Curzon Ki Havelitells the story of four South Asians abroad in the UK, who meet over an impromptu dinner that leads to a murderous night. That screening will also be followed by a Q&A with directo Jha and actors Rasika Dugal, Zoha Rahman and Garrick Hagon.
Marking 40 years of the anti-Sikh riots, acclaimed filmmaker Shonali Bose (The Sky is Pink,Margarita with a Straw) will present her critically-acclaimed film Amu,which premiered at the 2005 Berlin and Toronto International Film Festivals and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English. Based on Bose’s own novel of the same name, it tells the story of a young Indian-American woman who returns to India to visit her family and discover her birthplace only to stumble upon secrets and lies from her past.
Other prominent films at the festival include the UK premieres of Pakistani filmGunjal, which follows journalist Shahbaz Bhatti covering the acquittal of a man charged with murdering a 12-year-old labour activist, Waheed Iqbal’sGod’s Men, the European premiere of Bhutanese director Charmi Chheda’sBuelwa, a special tribute screening of late Tibetan auteur Pema Tseden’sSnow Leopard and the world premiere of veteran actress Supriya Pathak Kapur’s latest filmBaby Crasto.
LGBTQ+ films set to screen this year include Sridhar Rangayan and Saagar Gupta’sKuch Sapney Apne,and Samyuktha Vijayan’sBlue Sunshine.
The BFI’s Blue Room will see several industry workshops with execs from Civic Studios, Whistling Woods, Resource Productions, Shorts TV and Queen Mary University. Elsewhere, the Harrow Arts Centre will celebrate the 100-year musical journey of revered playback singer Mohammed Rafi through a conversation with his grandson Rizwan Rafi.
“We are at a critical juncture of political and economic uncertainty, and something has to shift globally,” said UKAFF Creative Director Samir Bhamra. “Our festival provides a vital platform to see amazing films, amplify voices, ignite conversations, and make new connections with empathy. I hope our program inspires all communities to embrace the complexities of our world with courage, love, and action to bridge divides.”
UKAFF is supported by the BFI and powered by broadcast partners Sony TV and Lyca Radio.
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