Event/ This screening will be followed by a recorded discussion with transgender actress and activist Alina Khan, reflecting on the struggles, resilience, and rights of South Asian transgender communities.
Aks International Minorities Festival presents a selection of shorts from their festival’s 10-year journey, highlighting Khwaja Sira and trans lives across South Asia.
This programme explores representation, progress, and the ongoing global backlash against trans communities.
Screening programme:
Darling (dir. Saim Saqid) - An erotic dance theatre in Lahore prepares for a new show just as a sacrificial goat goes missing, a dreamy trans girl vies for the spotlight, and a naive young boy falls in love.
Happy Marriage (dir. Sana Jafri) - A strong-willed trans woman encourages her lover to get married to a woman of his family’s choosing as his masculinity is questioned by his friends and family.
Vadhai (dir. Claire Pamment) - A documentary exploring the kinship, beliefs, joy, and economies that sustain the vibrant Khwaja sira performances of “Vadhai” devotional songs, dances, prayers, and comic repartee.
Raja Bro (dir. Sridhar Rangayan) - A heartfelt portrait of Merlin, an Indian trans man’s journey toward self-acceptance and family acceptance. Supported by his mother and extended family, Merlin embraces his identity after a courageous transition.
Four Fifty-Five ml (dir. Mahnoor Zaidi) - In response to a call for blood donations for a critically ill boy, Kausar, a middle-aged trans-woman, rushes through the busy streets of Lahore.
Mujra (dir. Saadat Munir) - An experimental video exploring the unique performance tradition of Lahori Khawaja Siras, reflecting on an art form often overlooked as culture yet vital to the trans* community’s survival and livelihoods.
Aks International Minorities Festival was founded in Pakistan in 2014 by activists amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, with a focus on transgender people, sexual minorities, and people of colour. Rooted in the indigenous Khwaja Sira community, it has grown into a platform for film, art, performance, and dialogue across Pakistan and Copenhagen.
Aks made its UK debut in Manchester in 2017 and now returns in collaboration with SCENE Festival, celebrating Pride with a programme of films, performances, and conversations.
