U.K. free-to-air broadcaster ITV is set to stream the British South Asian independent feature film “Little English” on its ITVX platform.
“Little English,” recently nominated for best feature film at the U.K.’s National Film Awards, marks the directorial debut of renowned theater practitioner Pravesh Kumar. The film follows the story of Simmy, a Punjabi newlywed woman who finds herself in an unexpected situation when her husband-to-be disappears. The plot unfolds as she forms an unlikely alliance with her brother-in-law, Harry, leading to a clandestine romance.
The film enjoyed a successful cinema run in 2023, supported by the BFI Audience Fund and National Lottery funding. Central City Media took on the film, assisting producers Resource Productions in reaching an underserved diaspora market. It has been available on pay-per-view platforms in the U.K. since December 2023 and is slated for release on streaming platforms in the U.S. later this year.
“Little English” will be available on ITVX during South Asian Heritage Month, which takes place from July 18 to Aug. 17 every year.
Darren Nartey, senior acquisitions manager at ITV, said: “We are proud to include ‘Little English’ in our celebration of South Asian Heritage Month on ITVX, when users can enjoy a wide selection of films and shows that showcase the incredible cultures of this diaspora.”
Kumar added: “When we made this film at the end of the pandemic, it was a labor of love. I’m thrilled that our quirky family comedy with a big heart will now be accessible to so many people via one of the nation’s biggest broadcasters.”
Producer Dominique Unsworth said: “The fact that a mainstream broadcaster has picked this up is a real ray of light in a challenging market for indies. It demonstrates that there is a very real and hungry global majority audience.”