Tongues on Fire is a charity organisation founded in 1997. They produce the annual UK Asian Film Festival, celebrating the richness and vibrancy of South Asian culture, history, arts, storytelling, and self-expression.
This October, Tongues on Fire CIO, the producer of the UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF), proudly announces the first edition of 'Unspoken' – A Mental Health Film Festival, a vital new platform using cinema as a catalyst for courageous conversations around mental health.
The films in this year’s 'Unspoken' line-up explore the hidden struggles that shape our emotional worlds — the unvoiced tensions within families, communities, and faith.
Join us for the screening of Mogul Mowgli a powerful story about a British-Pakistani rapper Zed, who is on the brink of stardom when a sudden illness forces him to return home and face the family and heritage he left behind. Riz Ahmed’s powerful film blends music, memory, and surreal imagery in a haunting story about identity, ambition, and self-reinvention. The event includes a book launch, followed by screening and Q&A.
WHY “UNSPOKEN”?
Mental health remains one of the most taboo and misunderstood topics within many communities. For South Asians in particular, emotional pain is often inherited, hidden, or ignored. 'Unspoken' creates space to confront this silence through film and discussion — offering insight, empathy and collective healing.
'Unspoken' is presented in association with leading mental health organisations Careif (Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Mental Health) and the Psychiatry Research Trust (PRT), a charity dedicated to research and education in mental health.
'Unspoken' is a pilot festival, made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers. Sponsorship has enabled venue access and licensing, with the long-term goal of establishing an annual platform to support cultural and community-based mental health engagement through film.
