Indian film festival returns

The Birmingham Indian Film Festival is returning to cinemas and online from Saturday 18 September.

Runing alongside the Manchester Indian Film Festival and Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, the Birmingham Indian Film Festival is back for an autumn edition of premieres, shorts and classics.

The Indian film festival will present the UK premiere of the Bengali drama Avijatrik (The Wanderlust of Apu), directed by Subhrajit Mitra.

The film is a new tale based on the legendary character Apu who was first brought to the screen by India's most internationally acclaimed director Satyajit Ray, in his Apu Trilogy in the 1950s.

Lovingly shot in black and white and keeping an eye on the continuity to Ray 's classics, the new film Avijatrik focuses on Apu's overwhelming wanderlust to discover the world beyond Bengal with his doting six-year-old son Kajol.

It is described as a must-see for all Satyajit Ray fans in the centenary year of his birth anniversary and is screened for one night only at London 's Cin� Lumi�re, Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham and HOME Manchester, where it will be part of their Not Just Bollywood season.

Other highlights of the Birmingham festival include a focus on Great British Asians with the screening of British Asian short films from emerging filmmakers, as well as looking back at the contribution British Asians have made to the music and arts.

For more information and to view the full programme click here.

Pictured: Avijatrik (The Wanderlust of Apu) is showing at the MAC in Birmingham