One of the most anticipated films of the upcoming London Film Festival, which opens on October 17, is the film adaptation of the international bestseller BRICK LANE by award-winning novelist Monica Ali. The film is directed by Sarah Gavron, who won a BAFTA TV Award in 2003 as Best New Director for THIS LITTLE LIFE, and is making a highly visible feature directorial debut with the film. The UK Premiere will be a Film on the Square screening on October 26th.

BRICK LANE is the story of a beautiful young Bangladeshi woman, Nazneen (portrayed by Tannishtha Chatterjee), who arrives in 1980s London, leaving behind her beloved sister and home, for an arranged marriage and a new life. Trapped within the four walls of her flat in East London, and in a loveless marriage with the middle aged Chanu (Satish Kaushik), she fears her soul is quietly dying. Her sister Hasina (Zafreen), meanwhile, continues to live a carefree life back in Bangladesh, stumbling from one adventure to the next. Nazneen struggles to accept her lifestyle, and keeps her head down in spite of life's blows, but she soon discovers that life cannot be avoided - and is forced to confront it the day that the hotheaded young Karim (Christopher Simpson) comes knocking at her door.

The film is produced by Film Four and will open in the UK on November 16. In the United States, the film will be released by powerhouse distributor Sony Pictures Classics. BRICK LANE received its world premiere at last month's Toronto International Film Festival and was enthusiastically received by critics and the general public. The film should generate considerable box office attention as international fans of the novel make a beeline to theaters. An end-of-the-year awards campaign is already in the works, with focus on the lead actors and director to make a showing for critics prizes and Golden Globe, BAFTA and Oscar nods.

Sandy Mandelberger, London FF Dailies Editor