London: Indian-American-Belgian actress Rumana Mollah's directorial debut starring Naseeruddin Shah will open this year's UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF) with its world premiere here on May 2.
'Minimum', described as a poignant immigrant story, is set in the context of an Indian family in Belgium and also stars Mollah in the lead role along with actors Namit Das, Saba Azad and Geetanjali Kulkarni.
It launches a series of films and tributes to famous Indian artists such as Shabana Azmi as part of the annual festival, which will run until May 12 in London, Leicester, Oxford and Glasgow.
“This year the UK Asian Film Festival celebrates feminism, diversity and empowering emerging British Asian talent,” said D Pushpinder Choudhury, Founder and Director of UKAFF.
He said, “Our ‘Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ initiative at BFI Southbank offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes insights and skills workshops led by industry experts, empowering aspiring filmmakers to craft diverse narratives.,
“Through unique cinematic experiences, we aim to shape their identity, boost self-confidence and encourage learning from diverse perspectives,” he said.
The "Climate of Change" theme for this year's Festival, now in its 26th year, has been chosen to reflect the sense that the wind is changing to move forward from the lived experiences of the recent past.
“Our program will take communities on a journey away from familiar challenging comfort zones to transformative adoption. Sameer Bhamra, Creative Director of UKAFF, said, “At this critical juncture of political and economic uncertainty, our festival emerges as a vita platform that amplifies voices, ignites conversations and fosters empathy.
Playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy and actress Karisma Kapoor will be honored with awards for their contribution to the artistic scene and Hindi cinema at the festival's closing ceremony at London's Kiln Theatre.In line with the theme of this year's festival, fashion sustainability will be celebrated with maverick Indian designer Reena Dhaka, as she discusses her runway shows of her most iconic pieces over the years, as well as eco-friendly collections and career trajectory.
A special 'Magical Melodies: Celebrating Mohammed Rafi' tribute show will celebrate 100 years of the musical journey of the legendary Indian singer, known for his soulful playback singing in some of the most iconic Hindi films over the years.
'Celebrating the Golden Girl: Shabana Azmi' event at Oxford will celebrate 50 years of the veteran Indian actress and her work in Indian international films and theatre, helping to raise funds to support scholarships at the Oxford India Center for Sustainable Development .
The closing film of the 2024 festival will mark the UK premiere of acclaimed actor Anshuman Jha's directorial debut 'Lord Curzon's Mansion', a dark comedy thriller that tells the story of four South Asians living abroad in the UK.
'Minimum', described as a poignant immigrant story, is set in the context of an Indian family in Belgium and also stars Mollah in the lead role along with actors Namit Das, Saba Azad and Geetanjali Kulkarni.
It launches a series of films and tributes to famous Indian artists such as Shabana Azmi as part of the annual festival, which will run until May 12 in London, Leicester, Oxford and Glasgow.
“This year the UK Asian Film Festival celebrates feminism, diversity and empowering emerging British Asian talent,” said D Pushpinder Choudhury, Founder and Director of UKAFF.
He said, “Our ‘Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ initiative at BFI Southbank offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes insights and skills workshops led by industry experts, empowering aspiring filmmakers to craft diverse narratives.,
“Through unique cinematic experiences, we aim to shape their identity, boost self-confidence and encourage learning from diverse perspectives,” he said.
The "Climate of Change" theme for this year's Festival, now in its 26th year, has been chosen to reflect the sense that the wind is changing to move forward from the lived experiences of the recent past.
“Our program will take communities on a journey away from familiar challenging comfort zones to transformative adoption. Sameer Bhamra, Creative Director of UKAFF, said, “At this critical juncture of political and economic uncertainty, our festival emerges as a vita platform that amplifies voices, ignites conversations and fosters empathy.
Playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy and actress Karisma Kapoor will be honored with awards for their contribution to the artistic scene and Hindi cinema at the festival's closing ceremony at London's Kiln Theatre.In line with the theme of this year's festival, fashion sustainability will be celebrated with maverick Indian designer Reena Dhaka, as she discusses her runway shows of her most iconic pieces over the years, as well as eco-friendly collections and career trajectory.
A special 'Magical Melodies: Celebrating Mohammed Rafi' tribute show will celebrate 100 years of the musical journey of the legendary Indian singer, known for his soulful playback singing in some of the most iconic Hindi films over the years.
'Celebrating the Golden Girl: Shabana Azmi' event at Oxford will celebrate 50 years of the veteran Indian actress and her work in Indian international films and theatre, helping to raise funds to support scholarships at the Oxford India Center for Sustainable Development .
The closing film of the 2024 festival will mark the UK premiere of acclaimed actor Anshuman Jha's directorial debut 'Lord Curzon's Mansion', a dark comedy thriller that tells the story of four South Asians living abroad in the UK.
