UK Asian Film Festival – the world’s longest running South Asian film festival – has announced the Opening and Closing films and theme of its 27th edition. Running at venues across London, Leicester and Coventry from Thursday 1st – Sunday 11th May, UK Asian Film Festival is presented by Tongues on Fire and is supported by the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding. UK Asian Film Festival is powered by broadcast partner, Lyca Radio. The UK Asian Film Festival has long been a champion of South Asian female-centric cinema and women in film, both on and off-screen. Each year, its programmes challenge patriarchal norms, spark critical conversations, and drive its mission to advocate for gender equality in the film industry.

This year’s “Longing and Belonging” theme will celebrate films that explore one of the most profound human experiences—the search for connection, identity and purpose. In every corner of the world, people grapple with feelings of longing—the ache for love, the pull of home, the need for acceptance and the pursuit of meaning. Through the lens of cinema, these universal desires come to life in stories of displaced immigrants, journeys of self-discovery, quests for love and the tension between tradition and modernity. As society moves forward, cinema remains a powerful tool for change—one that sparks conversations, amplifies voices and builds empathy.

The full programme can be found at tonguesonfire.com