THE very first feature-length Indian film, Raja Harishchandra in 1913, a tale of kings, fairies and gods, featured only male actors so, to mark the centenary of Indian cinema, the 15th London Asian Film Festival will focus on the journey of women in film.

“We thought it would be fun to show how far women have come in film,” explains festival co-ordinator Saba Syed, from Tongues on Fire, the independent Pinner-based arts organisation behind the festival.

“More women than ever are now behind the camera, writing and directing. The films in this year’s festival deal with some recent events that are very unpleasant, like the gang rape and murder of the woman in Dehli and violence against women in general, but overall it’s a celebration of women in film.”

The festival is a celebration of the vibrancy of south Asian culture through film, intertwining political and social messages with entertainment, and is a great chance to see some of the best contemporary south Asian films.

The opening night gala, on March 7 at the BFI Southbank, includes the UK premiere of Listen... Amaya, and the rest of the weekend is packed with events at BFI, the School of Oriental and African Studies in Russell Square and Harrow Arts Centre (HAC), among other places.

Two special films will be screened at HAC: Valley of Saints blends fiction and documentary in the story of a working-class boatman and a scientist who collecting water samples from Lake Dal in Kashmire; and Snow tells of Parvati, who tries to make a new life for herself in Canada after her family is swept away by the Asian tsunami.

The 15th London Asian Film Festival takes place at various venues around London from Thursday, March 7 to Sunday, March 17.

Details: www.tonguesonfire.com.

Valley of Saints is at Harrow Arts Centre, Uxbridge Road, Hatch End on Friday, March 8 at 8pm, and Snow is on Saturday, March 9 at 8pm. 020 8416 8989 or www.harrowarts.com