Project

My Home My Redditch Documentary Film – Memories from Asian Men

The Concept

In the winter/spring of 2025, Reimagine Redditch sought to expand its ongoing engagement with the South Asian community in Redditch.

Already committed to telling their stories and celebrating their contributions to the town, we wanted to find and share more voices from this community in new ways.

Reimagine Redditch partnered with Arts Uplift to commission and create a film to celebrate men from the Pakistani community who have settled in Redditch over the last 6 decades.

This project documents their personal journeys and experiences: their stories, their voices.

Award-winning filmmaker Sima Gonsai

Reimagine Redditch and Arts Uplift commissioned award-winning Midlands-based artist, filmmaker, director and producer Sima Gonsai to co-create a film, working closely with the men themselves and group The Ansaar Hive: Sisters Uniting Redditch.

At the heart of Sima’s practice is a desire to tell stories, rooted in intergenerational, social and cultural histories.

In the summer of 2024, Sima directed the Reimagine Redditch film Planting Healthy Minds.

She has directed and produced films commissioned by 2012 Olympics, Arts Council England, Creative England, British Textile Biennial, The Space, SkyArts and BBC Arts.

As a programmer, Sima currently works with Flatpack Film Festival, a Midlands-based BAFTA qualifying film festival.

Filming and celebration

The men were given the time and space to recall, explore and retell their stories. Sima and the men worked together in space provided by The Palace Theatre, Redditch.

Over a number of sessions, they discussed then documented their personal journeys.

A special premiere screening of the film took place at Redditch Mayor Juma Begum’s Community Iftar at Redditch Ecumenical Centre in March 2025.

Special thanks to our partners

Reimagine Redditch extends special thanks to Arts Uplift, Sima Gonsai, Uzma and Noreen from The Ansaar Hive, The Palace Theatre, Rubicon Leisure, Redditch Ecumenical Centre and the Mayor of Redditch Juma Begum.

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