“Being part of the UK Asian Film Festival is truly meaningful"
The UK Asian Film Festival offers bold storytelling that expands perspectives and deepens appreciation of film and television.
The 2026 edition runs from May 1 to May 10 across London, Leicester, Warwick and Cumbernauld.
‘Stories That Bind Us’ is the theme for its 28th edition and it explores how connections are forged, tested and reimagined across borders, generations and belief systems.
Through socially engaged cinema, the programme brings together political and cultural narratives with compelling storytelling, inviting audiences to reflect, connect and be entertained.
Opening the UK Asian Film Festival is the UK premiere of Ghost School, directed by Seemab Gul.
Hosted at BFI Southbank and presented in Urdu with English subtitles, the magical-realist drama follows 10-year-old Rabia in rural Pakistan as she investigates the mysterious closure of her village school.
Through Rabia’s determined perspective, the film reveals layers of corruption, superstition and systemic inequality, while highlighting the importance of education.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Gul, offering audiences insight into the creative and social themes behind the production.
Reflecting on the film’s selection, Gul said:
“Being part of the UK Asian Film Festival is truly meaningful to me, as it creates space for urgent, underrepresented stories to be seen and heard.
“Set against the reality of ‘ghost schools’ in rural Pakistan, the film shines a light on a system that fails its most vulnerable, while holding onto the hope that even the smallest voice can challenge it.
“I’m honoured to share this story with UKAFF audiences, who continue to champion bold, socially conscious cinema.”
Bringing the festival to a close is the UK premiere of Shadowbox, directed by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi.
Marking the striking directorial debut of Das and Sahi, the Bengali-language drama offers an intimate and thought-provoking portrayal of domestic life in working-class India.
It follows a woman navigating her husband’s struggle with PTSD while confronting suspicion surrounding a murder case.
Through its layered narrative, the film examines mental health, resilience and the quiet tensions that shape family life.
Discussing their selection, the directors say: “We are thrilled to screen our film Shadowbox in UKAFF, the longest-running South Asian film festival, under the theme of ‘Stories that Bind Us’.
“While our film is rooted in Barrackpore, a suburban area of Kolkata where Tanushree grew up, we have been overwhelmed by how audiences around the world have responded personally to Maya and Sundar’s story.
“At a time of war and genocide in the Middle East, we are all feeling the distressing and tragic reverberations.
“In its own small way, our film talks of the residues of violence and the struggles of a family to heal.”
A Q&A with lead actor Tillotama Shome will follow the screening.
One of the highlight premieres will be Mera Lyari, which will be screened on May 2.
Directed by Abu Aleeha, Mera Lyari follows two young women in Pakistan who are determined to pursue their football dreams.
In addition to the premieres, the festival will present a special screening of the 1981 classic Umrao Jaan, directed by Muzaffar Ali.
The film stars Rekha in her National Award-winning role as a courtesan-poetess navigating love and loss in 19th-century Lucknow.
This restored 4K version, undertaken by the National Film Archive of India, will be screened at BFI IMAX on May 4.
The event will be followed by a Q&A with Ali, offering audiences a rare opportunity to engage with one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated auteurs and experience the iconic film with enhanced visual and sound quality.
Beyond its headline screenings, the UK Asian Film Festival continues to showcase a diverse programme of films each year.
The event is complemented by lectures, workshops, live performances, visual arts exhibitions and masterclasses, creating an immersive cultural platform for audiences and industry professionals alike.
Its annual Short Film Competition also highlights emerging talent, celebrating cinema connected to South Asia while spotlighting the richness and diversity of the region’s artistic heritage.
Festival founder and director Pushpinder Chowdhry added:
“In these uncertain and often divided times, cinema reminds us that storytelling is our common language of connection and hope.”
“With this year’s theme, ‘The Stories That Bind Us’, UK Asian Film Festival celebrates narratives that carry the South Asian diaspora’s creativity, resilience, and courage across borders.
“We have curated films and spaces that are both safe and challenging, where audiences can confront the realities of displacement and injustice while also discovering moments of solidarity and hope.
“We invite audiences to lean into discomfort, to listen, to be open to changing their minds, and to seek out films from our specially curated programme that will surprise, challenge, entertain, and stay with them long after the credits roll.”
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