- BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL IS BACK FOR 2023
- 10 DAYS OF THE BEST INDEPENDENT FILMS FROM THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND DIASPORA
- DYNAMIC PROGRAMME OF SCREENINGS IN BIRMINGHAM AND THE BLACK COUNTRY INCLUDING NEW CINEMA PARTNER LIGHT CINEMA, WALSALL
- NEW TO 2023 BIFF ENTERS THE WORLD OF IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING AND GAMING HONOURING BIRMINGHAM’S BRITISH ASIAN XR STORYTELLERS
The acclaimed Birmingham Indian Film Festival (BIFF) has announced an exciting programme of screenings for this autumn taking place at cinemas across Birmingham and the Black Country.
BIFF is part of the UK and Europe’s largest platform for Indian and South Asian cinema with screenings taking place simultaneously in six cities.
The Festival will run in Birmingham and, for the first time in Walsall, from 26 October – 3 November.
This year’s partner venues include MAC at Cannon Hill Park, The Mockingbird Cinema at The Custard Factory, Cineworld Broad Street, BCU STEAMhouse and Eastside Projects and, new to this year’s Festival, Light Cinema, Walsall.
Dharmesh Rajput Head of Birmingham Indian Film Festival said “Midland audiences will be amongst the first to see a variety of the very best in South Asian independent cinema from thrillers, horror, romance, films, panel discussions, Q&As with Directors and cast members, to LGBTQIA+ films, and for the first time, the world of gaming and VR. We’re also pleased to be increasing the number of BSL signed Q&As to signal our commitment to extending accessibility.”
(Still from Kennedy, Directed by Anurag Kashyap - BIFF closing night film seen earlier this year at Cannes)
BIFF will launch with the Midlands premiere of Berlin likely the most cleverly constructed Indian film of 2023 from Indian film director, writer, and producer Atul Sabharwal. This compelling spy thriller stars Aparshakti Khurana (Jubilee) as a young sign language teacher lured into the dark world of espionage. The post-show Q&A will be BSL signed.
Thanks to support from the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, this year BIFF enters the world of online gaming for the first time, honouring Birmingham's British Asian XR Storytellers. Discover the world of grassroots immersive film, Virtual and Extended Reality, and gaming as BIFF present a panel of British Asian creatives based in Birmingham.
Professor Rajinder Dudrah, Professor of Cultural Studies & Creative Industries, at BCU commented “Birmingham Indian Film Festival is a regular and much awaited feature in the BCU cultural calendar. Yet again, we are offered a series of thought-provoking films from a region bursting with creativity, talent and exciting stories to tell.”
As part of BIFF, Incidental Artist, Sahjan Kooners dankEconogy1_ALIENVillage welcomes everyone to a multi-stranded project – exhibition, video, games, sculpture and sound – exploring themes of the village and all that they encompass. The exhibition visits many sites in the future. It is composed of stories, migrants, materials, houses, biologies, technologies, mycologies, and futures, but most of all it’s the inhabitants who contaminate and make the village.
Further Festival highlights include Padatik from the popular Bengali director, Srijit Mukherji. Released this year as part of the late Mrinal Sen’s 100th birthday celebrations, Padatik explores the life of one of India’s greatest directors and is a must for all cinephiles.
The biopic follows Mrinal Sen from his days as a struggling political idealist, unable to feed his family, to his growing obsession with filmmaking in 1950s Calcutta where, alongside his friend Satyajit Ray, he kickstarted the Indian New Wave cinema movement.
To celebrate Halloween, horror fans will be able to enjoy the classic Indian zombie comedy, Go Goa Gone, on its tenth anniversary. And this year, the ‘Extra-Ordinary Lives’ features two Midland premieres from the stunning noir film, Privacy.
For emerging filmmakers and Q&As, check out BIFF’s annual platform to learn about upcoming talents with Brit-Asian Shorts and Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition packages. Details of the Festivals popular Q&A’s with film directors and special guests will also be available on the BIFF website.
BIFF runs from 26 October – 3 November 2023. The full Festival programme, including dates and tickets can be found at www.birminghamindianfilmfestival.co.uk All screenings will be subtitled.
Birmingham Indian Film Festival is supported by Film Hub Midlands to showcasing new South Asian independent cinema and Asian diaspora films with a particular focus on attracting new audiences of socially excluded women, young people and LGBTQIA+.
Birmingham Indian Film Festival is also supported by Birmingham City University, and Consulate General of India in Birmingham.