Celebrating the cinematic and cultural heritage of London’s South Asian communities
A new film by from Queen Mary academic Dr Ashvin Devasundaram was screened as part of Wembley Park’s ‘Summer on Screen’ programme.
Celebrating cultural heritage
Movies, Memories, Magic is a documentary film which celebrates the hybrid cinematic and cultural heritage of London’s South Asian communities across time and space. Cinema has served as a vital bridge between cultures and countries for South Asian people in Britain.
The film is the culmination of a year-long UK Heritage Lottery project led by the UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF) and Queen Mary University of London. It depicts a vibrant picture of how iconic South Asian films screened in renowned cinema halls in London, from the winding alleyways of Brick Lane to the bustling streets of Southall, galvanised cultural conversations and shaped trends in music, food, fashion and politics. The project received a Community Engagement Award from Queen Mary in November 2018.
Dr Ashvin Devasundaram, Lecturer in World Cinema at Queen Mary said: “I am delighted to have directed the documentary film Movies, Memories, Magic, which was made under the banner of the Memories Through Cinema Heritage Project.
“This film making journey has been a real labour of love, punctuated by the collective enthusiasm and engagement of a dedicated team of young volunteers, particularly Queen Mary students.
“The film epitomises how community conversations can build bridges between the education sector, creative industries and civil society.”
In October 2018 Dr Devasundaram published a book, Indian Cinema Beyond Bollywood: The New Independent Cinema Revolution, which addressed some of the latest changes in Indian cinema.
The edited volume was the first of its kind to explore independent Indian cinema and offers a comprehensive collection of theoretical, philosophical and epistemological perspectives from scholars around the world.