A unique ten day film festival focusing on elevating and promoting Punjabi. Pakistani and Sports films is to take place in Birmingham this month.

The DESIblitz Film Fusion Festival 2022 (3 to 12 June) is the first of its kind to take place in the city and will provide a platform for new, existing and upcoming filmmakers to showcase their creativity and present work.

The festival will celebrate short films with two special nights - Punjabi Shorts Night and Pakistani & Sports Shorts Night - both of which will screen films ahead of panel discussions.

Supported by BFI, Film Hub Midlands and The National Lottery, the ethos of the festival is to increase awareness of films related to specific Desi storylines that need their narratives unveiled and told to new and existing audiences.

Split into four categories - Punjabi, Pakistani, Sports and UK & World, the festival programme also features a number of world premieres including Country of Blind - adapted from HG Wells' The Country of the Blind and set in the Himalayas in the 18th century. Starring Hina Khan and Shoib Nikash Shah, Country of Blind is the opening film of the festival, showing at Odeon Luxe Broadway Plaza (Fri 3 June @7.15pm).

Other highlights include Leslee Udwin's documentary India's Daughter (banned in India) which shows at Midlands Arts Centre (5 June@ 1pm) and Am I Next  (MAC, 12 June @ 5pm). The latter is the story of a girl plagued by rape and facing the tribulations of a court case regarding her unborn child. The screening is followed by a Q&A with Indian actress. Anushka Sen.

The festival culminates with a Closing Night Gala at MAC on 12 June during which awards will be presented in a number of categories.

For details on all screenings, visit, desiblitz.com 

IndiaHina Khan and Shoib Nikash Shah.