Featured image: Ricado Sagitta

Europe’s largest Indian and South Asian Film Festival returned to Manchester this Autumn with a jam-packed programme of independent films and events that celebrated South Asian culture and creativity.

The festival showcased the best of Indian and South Asian gaming, alongside archival short films, and hosted an exciting line-up of events. Highlights included an exclusive video games tournament at the Manchester Met, featuring premium games developed by top South Asian creators, and a lecture from at Bolton Library where Indian game specialists and developers discussed their work and the Indian gaming industry.

A standout moment of the festival was a screening of I’m British, But… in collaboration with the North West Film Archives and Manchester Metropolitan University. The screening premiered at the University before embarking on a regional tour.

The evening featured a screening of five archival films offering profound insight into the experiences, achievements, and challenges of South Asian communities in the North of England. Through compelling narratives, these films illuminated themes of identity, resilience and cultural heritage.

Works featured in the archival package of documentary footage and short film include It’s Just Not Cricket, which explores the relationship between South Asian diaspora and football, A Bit of This, A Bit of That, which details the story of Manchester’s iconic This and That Café, Asian Women for Sale: Daily Mail’s First Picket, investigating the response of South Asian women to the derogatory rhetoric in the media and their protests, and Immigration Wives and Fiancées Campaign: Asian Women Speak Out.

Another festival highlight was the premiere of We are Butterflies Forever in Flight, a short film commissioned by Manchester UNESCO City of Literature, followed by a panel discussion and debate. Directed by Ricardo Sagitti, this poetry film by Manchester poet Anjum Malik is based on her poem of the same name, and explores South Asian diaspora in the North of England.

Ricardo said: “Directing this film was a true delight, where we’ve combined traditional Kathak dance with archive footage against an original score by Danyal Hassan featuring opera singer Kanchana Jaishankar, all inspired by Anjum’s poignant poem celebrating the experiences of the South Asian Communities in diaspora around the globe, which is the golden thread through the film.

“It felt quite humbling and a privilege to work with our creative team, as well as with the project sponsors and partners in creating such a unique homage to the South Asian Communities.”

Festival Manager and producer Kanchana Jaishankar spoke to aAh! about her experience working on the festival and expressed her gratitude for the support of Manchester Met: “It has been a genuine pleasure to see the festival grow and evolve. Although it is a branch of the London Indian Film Festival, programming and curating the Manchester edition required adapting to the local scene and addressing Manchester- and northern-specific issues that resonate with the South Asian community. 

Kanchana added: “In my opinion, these issues carry a different nuance compared to those in London. Over the past year, we organised 12 events. We are deeply grateful for MMU’s support, and our team, comprising many current and former MMU students, contributed significantly to the success of these events.”

On her favourite events at the festival, Kanchana said: “I personally found Too Desi Too Queer, Brit Asian Shorts, and I’m British but… to be the standout events.”, adding that “more spaces where like-minded South Asian people can mingle and network will always be a boon to Manchester as a bringer of cultural change and to the growing cultural identities of the diaspora and those interested in engaging with it.”

Follow Manchester Indian Film Festival on Instagram @welovemiff.