Filmmaker in Focus : Pratibha Parmar
For the very first time Bradford Queer Film Festival will present a Filmmaker in Focus strand and we are delighted that the celebrated artist for 2025 will be the incredible Pratibha Parmar.
All events except for the Film Feast are included in the weekend pass or relevant day pass, for full festival programme click here and to view all ticket options click here.
Events
Friday November 21st - My Beautiful Laundrette with introduction by Pratibha Parmar @ Cubby Broccoli
Omar, a young British Pakistani man, takes over the running of a dilapidated laundrette with former flame Johnny. Crackling with wit and warmth in the face of racial tensions and homophobia, it remains one of the most celebrated takedowns of Thatcher’s Britain. Do not miss this cult classic on the big screen.
With thanks to Park Circus & Cinema Rediscovered for this remastered version
Khush (1991)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 24:00, English
KHUSH means ecstatic pleasure in Urdu. For South Asian lesbians and gay men in Britain, North America, and India the term captures the blissful intricacies of being queer and of color. Inspiring testimonies bridge geographical differences to locate shared experiences of isolation alongside the unremitting joys and solidarity of being “khush”.
Reframing AIDS (1987)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 35:00, English
A radical response to the politics surrounding AIDS and the media backlash felt by the lesbian and gay communities in the late 1980s. Cultural critics, activists and media commentators wrest the discussion away from the conservatives and place the focus on the experiences, feelings and activities of lesbians and gays who talk frankly about how they have been affected and how they are challenging dominant perceptions of AIDS as a ‘gay plague’.
Wavelengths (1997)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 15:00, English
Mona’s girlfriend has left her with a broken heart, an empty goldfish tank, and—in her altered state—the ability to pick up other people’s conversations. Stuck in the post relationship blues, Mona just can’t seem to move on…that is until she discovers “cybersex”.
With thanks to Pratibha Parmar and Kali Films
Saturday November 22nd - Film Feast: Nina’s Heavenly Delights (2006) accompanied by a 3 course responsive meal by creative chef Sonia Sandhu
When young Glaswegian cook Nina returns home for her father’s funeral after three years living in London, she reunites with Lisa, an old childhood friend who now owns half of Nina’s late dad’s Indian restaurant, The New Taj. Together, the two lovers seek to save the restaurant from closing by conspiring to defend the national ‘Best in the West Curry Competition’ title in this charming and feisty feature.
We have commissioned the wonderful Sonia Sandhu to create meal inspired by Nina’s Heavenly Delights - all food will be vegan. This event will last for approx 18:00-21:00 and will be followed by a party with DJ Ritu 21:00-00:00.
Sunday November 23rd - Brimful of Asia + post screening discussion @ Cubby Broccoli
This riveting documentary explores the explosion of 2nd Generation South Asian talent in mainstream British culture in the late 1990’s and features musicians Talvin Singh, Asian Dub Foundation and Cornershop as well as fashion designers and writers.
Biography
Pratibha Parmar is an award-winning filmmaker and activist whose groundbreaking work centers marginalised stories with bold creativity and political urgency. Her oeuvre spans experimental shorts, activist documentaries, and feature-length works, forging a cinematic language rooted in what she calls visual justice: a queer diasporic strategy for generating networks of solidarity, art, and pleasure. Her internationally acclaimed films Khush (1991) and Warrior Marks (1993) have contributed to advancing rights for women, girls, and LGBTQ+ communities around the world. An earlier video, Sari Red (1988), is held in the permanent collections of MoMA (New York) and the Centre Pompidou (Paris). Most recently, Sari Red and Reframing AIDS were featured in Women in Revolt! at Tate Britain (2023–24).
From July-September 2025, ICA London programmed Pratibha’s films as part of the Connecting Thin Black Lines 1985–2025 curated by Lubaina Himid. A joint publication between ICA and Sming Sming Books titled, Our Eyes as Commonly Tender: Visual Justice in the Filmmaking of Pratibha Parmar was launched on September 3rd, 2025.
Pratibha’s Awards include: The ICON award presented by Bagari London Indian Film Festival in Association with the British Film Institute for Outstanding Contribution to Indian and World Cinema. Mill Valley Film Festival awarded Pratibha, Mind The Gap Award (2022) honoring people whose work has helped close the gender gap in the film industry. Past recipients’ include Viola Davis and Jane Campion. Pratibha is a proud recipient of the Frameline Film Festival Award (San Francisco) presented to an individual who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to lesbian and gay media.
Pratibha has taught film as Associate Professor at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, served as a Visiting Artist at Stanford University, and is a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is author, co-author and editor of several books and essays.
In July-September 2025, ICA London programmed Pratibha’s films as part of the Connecting Thin Black Lines 1985–2025 curated by Lubaina Himid. A joint publication between ICA and Sming Sming Books titled, Our Eyes as Commonly Tender: Visual Justice in the Filmmaking of Pratibha Parmar was launched on September 3rd, 2025.
Pratibha is an alumni of University of Bradford.