Nasir Ali Mamun documentary to premiere at UK Asian Film Festival

A feature-length documentary on Ekushey Padak-winning Bangladeshi portrait photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, titled “Mamun: In Praise of Shadows”, is set to have its UK premiere at the 28th edition of the UK Asian Film Festival.

Directed by British-Bangladeshi filmmaker Makbul Chowdhury, the film will be screened on May 3 at Garden Cinema in Covent Garden, London.

Following the screening, a Q&A session will be held, moderated by Anita Horem, with the director in attendance.

Nasir Ali Mamun has been a pioneering figure in portrait photography in Bangladesh for over five decades. Widely credited with introducing the genre in the country during the 1970s, he has captured portraits of nearly a thousand poets, artistes, writers, and political figures from both national and international arenas. His work has evolved into a visual archive, documenting significant personalities across time.

The documentary, developed over more than five years, follows Mamun’s artistic journey across cities including Dhaka, Kolkata, Paris, and New York. Through close observation and interviews, the film explores both his creative process and his relationships with cultural figures.

The UK Asian Film Festival, one of the longest-running festivals dedicated to South Asian cinema outside the subcontinent, has chosen “Stories That Bind Us” as its theme this year, highlighting narratives that connect diverse communities, cultures, and generations in the UK.

According to festival organisers, “Mamun: In Praise of Shadows” is not merely a documentary but an introspective exploration of the artist’s philosophy and creative world. Blending still photography with cinematic language, the film presents Mamun’s work as a reflection of identity, memory, and social reality, where each portrait emerges as a story in itself.