The Birmingham Indian Film Festival 2026 will return this summer, presenting a selection of premieres from India and South Asia. The event, linked to the London Indian Film Festival, runs across Birmingham and the West Midlands starting in July. It will include films from major international festivals as well as works by emerging British Asian directors. Most screenings take place at the Midlands Arts Centre, now in the festival’s twelfth edition. A special LGBTQIA+ screening is scheduled at Lockworks Cinema in Wolverhampton. Funding from the BFI Audience Projects Fund supports the program, which seeks to share varied South Asian narratives with regional viewers. Festival head Dharmesh Rajput described the event as open to all and noted its 2026 lineup covers disability, motherhood, LGBTQIA+ themes, political stories and classic Indian films. He emphasized broadening perspectives through global storytelling and cultural exchange. The European premiere of 52 Blue, directed by Ali El Arabi and starring Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia, opens the festival on July 10 at the Midlands Arts Centre. Cary Rajinder Sawhney, the CEO, highlighted the film’s inspirational story of youth overcoming challenges. Additional films include In Search Of The Sky, about a disabled young man and his parents seeking help at a large religious gathering, and Master, which examines political compromise in rural Bangladesh. Family-focused titles feature All About Weddings, set at a Kolkata event that turns chaotic, and Anmol – Lovingly Ours, exploring parental reactions to a newborn’s gender identity. Accessibility improvements for 2026 include closed captions and more British Sign Language Q&A sessions. The festival runs July 10-19 and welcomes viewers from all backgrounds.
