Author-cum-filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, who is best known for her critically acclaimed films such as Nil Battey Sannata (2016), Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and Panga (2020), had recently co-directed Break Point (2021) which received a thunderous response from the audience. The author also received fame from all around with her novel debut with Mapping Love, a love story that she had been working on for a long time.
Sharing how exciting her journey as a storyteller has been so far, Tiwari says, "As the audiences are looking forward to an altogether different cinematic experience, the chronicle of storytelling has changed with time. It's always been overwhelming for me to deliver new insightful characters that satiate movie lovers & audiences' expectations. As an evolving storyteller, I constantly challenge myself to grow with each narrative that can somewhere touch hearts. The unexpected love I have received in the past months has really been gratifying. Debuting as an author with my fiction book Mapping Love, an experimental short in Ankahi Kahaniya, followed by producing and co-directing the Mahesh Bhupati Leander Paes docudrama Break Point. I am now directing my first web series Faadu, an intense drama written by Saumya Joshi. It keeps me wanting to learn more, and collecting experience and memories with my journey into making each story."
Usually engrossed with non-fiction, Ashwiny is one of those inquisitive minds who brim with ideas all the time; the ideas that help readers connect emotionally and are relatable to them in their own ways. She showed a beyond formulaic love stories in her segment for Netflix's anthology film Ankahi Kahaniya. Centering around the theme of love, she explored a different take on the emotion with this one. Connecting to millions is something Tiwari has done.
Ashwiny has made a noble effort to enter the psyche of the modern generation through her effortless docu piece like Break Point. Ever since her debut, the evolving director has been working non-stop to deliver cordial stories to the public and also has been receiving unexpected love and support for her unmatchable tales.
Tiwari, as a storyteller, keeps on challenging herself constantly and is known to bring to light beautiful shades of love and relationships with interesting narrations. Ashwiny garnered uncountable lauds and praises for showing different facets of reality and fantasies in her stories.
Faadu, in the pre-production phase, is Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's upcoming SonyLiv Original. The intense poetic love story between two different-thinking characters is much anticipated by the fans. The compelling storyline is believed to touch the hearts of millions and hit the right chords in a long format with quite a relatable concept.
Keep visiting this space over and again for more updates and reveals from the world of entertainment.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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