The 8th London Bengali Film Festival Officially Launches at the Prestigious Barbican Centre.

Experience the richness and diversity of global Bengali cinema and conversations at iconic London locations, including the Guildhall and Bank of England. London, UK – April 13, 2025 – The London Bengali Film Festival (LBFF) today announced the full lineup of films included in this year’s 8th edition of Europe’s largest Bengali film festival, running from April 22 to 27, 2025. The programme features six films – four narrative features, one documentary, and one short film – in Bengali and English languages (with English subtitles) from Bangladesh, India, and global South Asian diasporic communities. The Festival kicks off with the UK premiere of a powerful UK premiere! Join us at Barbican Cinema for the screening of Bangladeshi director Sankha Dasgupta’s debut feature, Dear Maloti. Based on true events, this fierce drama tells the poignant story of an expectant mother whose life takes an unexpected and dramatic turn. Prepare to be captivated by a striking performance from the talented actress Mehazabien Chowdhury. Following the screening, there will be an exclusive Q&A session with the director, Sankha Dasgupta! Additional UK premieres include: – Binodiini Ekti Natir Upakhyan, starring Indian actress Rukmini Maitra and directed by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, a biopic of Binodini Dasi, known as Nati Binodini, who had a successful career in 19th-century Bengali theatre in Calcutta. – Bhanu, directed by Indian filmmaker Ayananshu Banerjee, focusing on two formative years of the first non-European Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s adolescence, exploring the moments that shaped the young Bengali poet and thinker. The documentary programme includes the UK premiere of Ochin Pakhi, directed by Elja Roy, a film about cultural integration through music. Based in Chicago, the band has members from India, Bangladesh, and the United States.

England for a special screening and conversation on Bengali folk music, Baul. The Festival’s Closing Night Presentation features celebrated Bangladeshi filmmaker Giasuddin Selim’s visually stunning enchanting tale Kajolrekha. This breathtaking film brings to life a timeless tale of love, destiny, and enchantment, based on a centuries-old Bengali fairy tale from “Maimansingha Gitika,” featuring compelling performances from Sariful Razz and Mandira Chakraborty. Mr. Munsur Ali, the Founder & CEO of the London Bengali Film Festival, is a British Bangladeshi filmmaker who has been working in film and media for over 15 years and is currently the Chairman for Culture, Heritage, and Libraries at the City of London Corporation. “Mainstream films have a global audience, but global stories also need to be seen by the mainstream audience. The London Bengali Film Festival does exactly that,” says Munsur Ali. Founded in 2016, LBFF is a non-profit organisation committed to promoting and supporting Bengali cinema from Bangladesh, India, and global South Asian diasporic communities as a vital cultural heritage within the United Kingdom. As the largest Bengali film event in the UK and Europe, the Festival, spanning six days across London, seeks to provide a prominent platform for Bengali-linked films to reach both the UK mainstream audience and the substantial Bengali community of over half a million individuals.