Asian British Cinema

Asian British cinema first came apparent in cinemas across Britain in the 1980’s. The first breakthrough film was ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ released in 1984, this film started the production of Asian British film’s as it was such a success. The majority of Asian British films deal with issues such as poverty,social exclusion, cultural activism, the fight against racism and the dilemmas of identity created by living 'between' two cultures. The very first Asian filmmakers began on low budget independent productions, but as they started to become more popular the budgets for Asian British films began to get bigger as well.

My Beautiful Laundrette Released in 1985 and directed by Stephen Frears, My Beautiful Laundrette was the first Asian British film that was popular and showed ethic minorities as working a class, as well as showing ethic minorities involved in homosexual affair with a British working class man. Something that British cinema had never seen before.

East is East East is East is based on a semi- autobiographical by Ayub Din, it was a smash hit and was nominated for 6 BAFTAS. The film was released in East is East is set in 1971 and deals with issues such as arranged marriages and overcrowding in British houses.

Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire is the most up to date and most successful British Asian Film, released into British cinemas in 2009 and nominated for 10 academy awards and winning 8 of them, Slumdog Millionaire is the most successful British Asian film.