Lockworks Cinema is proud to be a part of the 2026 Birmingham Indian Film Festival, as they present this now legendary LGBTQIA+ showcase of inspiring, thought- provoking short films and Q&A discussions. This year, these UK premieres have been programmed in association with Rainbow Noir, Manchester. We have films for all the community, and you’ll have your chance to share your thoughts on these films with engaging discussions afterwards, exploring struggles, joy, empowerment, connection and mental and physical wellbeing. Warm Shadows (Nighiyaan Chhavan) Dir: Aakash Chhabra | 15 mins | Panjabi A son returns from abroad only for his mother to reveal a secret she’s been hiding all his life leading to an exploration of longing, memory, and unspoken tensions through the lens of a mother-son relationship. Ruse Dir: Rhea Shukla | 10 mins | Hindi, English with English subtitles On a rainy afternoon, three teenage girls practise a dance that begins to evolve, balancing between innocence and newfound awareness. A Thing About Kashem Dir: Bijon Imtiaz | 17 mins | Bengali with English subtitles A married man’s unexpected bodily reaction, at the wrong time and in the wrong place, plunges him into a midlife crisis, forcing him to confront his identity and desires. Body of Our Own Dir: Rahemur Rahman, Lily Vetch | 25 mins | Hindi, English, Bengali with English subtitles Filmed over the course of six years, this documentary shows the resilience and sisterhood of three Hijra women. Tara Dir: Ashutosh S. Shankar | 23 mins | Hindi, English with English subtitles A Dalit trans woman navigates love and identity after falling for an upper-caste man, forcing her to confront the silence around her caste. Almari Ka Achaar (Cupboard Pickle) Dir: Raakesh Rawat | 20 mins | Hindi with English subtitles In the narrow lanes of Mumbai, two middle-aged migrants from Rajasthan preserve a lifelong love in silence – hidden behind the shelves of a kirana store and sealed inside a pickle jar tucked away in an old cupboard.