FILM: Body of Our Own by Rahemur Rahman and Lily Vetch

Body of Our Own by Rahemur Rahman and Lily Vetch

Doors: 5.45pm Start 6.15pm

Bangla with English Subtiltles I 45 minutes I 15+

Set against the vibrant chaos of South Asia, our three protagonists are joined by friends and lovers in gentle moments - dressing, sharing beds and smoking cigarettes. They reveal their hopes, reflect on upbringing and expectations, and consider their relationships with gender. They learn about themselves and each other under mosquito nets in the sweltering heat. And, in doing so, begin the work of creating alternate worlds, futures where the power could be returned to their outstretched and capable hands.

Momo, bold and irreverent, claims space and garners recognition through performance and incisive humour. She finds grounding in taking on a mentorship role within the Hijra culture - a less exploitative approach inspired by her own supportive Guru Ma - all while appreciating the absurdity of life. Neshi instead searches for solace online, juggling a need for belonging with a desire for something more. Dreaming of romance and of motherhood, she seeks connection with clients and lovers on streaming apps, such as Bigo Live. While Jannat imagines a life beyond entrenched traditions of ceremonial blessing and sex work. Leaving the strictly hierarchical Hijra culture behind, she seeks financial independence and love elsewhere, in pursuit of Bollywood stardom.

Through intimacy, laughter and tension, these touching vignettes highlight a fragile balance between freedom and survival. But, in the face of violence, erasure and a strictly hierarchical Hijra culture, a golden thread binds Momo, Neshi and Jannat together - their resilience and their capacity for joy. Filmed over seven transformative years, this film is a celebration of defiant self-determination and tenacity. It’s a tale of lives lived at the intersection of tradition and modernity, in an increasingly transphobic digital age. And, crucially, it’s a story of friendship; of how those we hold close keep us dancing and laughing in the face of hardship and erasure.

We will hold a reflection space after the film.

Part of Tower Hamlets South Asian Heritage Month, in partnership with Queen Mary University.

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Host or Publisher South Asian Heritage Month 2026 (LBTH)