The 22^nd annual UK Asian Film Festival presented the Tongues on Fire Flame Awards at the Closing Gala ceremony on Sunday 15^th May at BFI Southbank. Hosted by actors, Nisha Aaliya and Yanick Ghanty, it was followed by the UK Premiere of Gangnam Girls. Representing the film at the Closing Gala were director, Charmi Nemchand Chheda, and producer, Nyema Zam. Additional guests in attendance included actors, Hina Khan, Lillete Dubey, Shaheen Khan, Yasir Hussain, Sudha Bhuchar, Himanshi Choudhry, Beo Raana Zafar, Harv Nagra and Vishnu Krishnan; supermodel and actress, Elena Fernandes; and music artists, Talvin Singh OBE and Abbas Hasan.

Tongues on Fire Flame Award-winners:

Best Film Curator’s Choice: Gandhi & Co

Best Short Film: February 1^st 

Best Actor: Yasir Hussain

Celebrating Dare to Dream Theme: Adieu Godard

Best Original Screenplay: Adh Chanani Raat

Best Documentary: Kekee Manzil: House of Art

Best Music Score: Talvin Singh

Best Director: Abu Aleeha

Best Debut Feature Film: Gangnam Girls

Best Film: Dostojee, Two Friends

Trail Blazer: Hina Khan

Rising Star Award: Nisha Aaliya

Best Animated Film: Priya And The Twirling Wind

Championing Change: Emergence – Out of Shadows

Silver Flame Award – Contribution to Film & Television: Shaheen Khan

Golden Flame Award – Contribution to Film and Theatre: Lillete Dubey

The ‘Dare To Dream’ theme of this year’s festival commemorated 75 years of India and Pakistan’s Independence. The curation acknowledged personal and societal freedoms as well as address topical issues such as climate change and human resilience in the face of oppression through the festival programme. Head to tonguesonfire.com for information on this year’s programme.