The London Indian Film Festival (30 June - 12 July) is back in the capital for a second year, acting as a showcase for non-Bollywood Indian films in the UK and growing the awareness of the region's rich film production amongst London audiences.

Supported by Film London, this year's London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) is bringing a selection of cutting edge films from some of the ­country's hottest independent talents. Looking beyond Bollywood, LIFF concentrates on films which challenge, shock, generate debate and present a more complete view of today's India.

"There are other Asian film festivals but what London Indian Film Festival offers is a focus on new Indian independent cinema and a deeper knowledge and understanding of how the Indian film industry works and what is happening in mega cities like Mumbai or Kolkata", explains festival director Cary Sawhney. "The funding from Film London has been very valuable in that it has placed a stamp of recognition on the festival and belief in our vision, which has enabled us to leverage other UK funding."

India is the largest film producing country in th­e world. Some 1,000 films are made every year, outstripping Hollywood. However, apart from mainstream Bollywood, very few of these films reach the UK.

LIFF's programme covers an ample range of themes and issues, from family dramas and coming-of-age tales to twisted urban teen-romances. The line-up of participating films highlights a wave of young independent talent who are bravely exploring fresh themes and experimenting with new styles and technology. "There is an audience out there, both London Asian and non-Asian, who wants to see these great new films and see more realistic views of modern India in all its rich diversity", elaborates Sawhney.

Thus, the programme kicks off with the world premiere of irreverent comedy Delhi Belly, starring teen heart-throb and nephew of Bollywood legend Aamir Khan, Imran Khan. Other not-to-be-missed highlights include the UK premieres of That Girl in the Yellow Boots - which will be followed by a Q&A with the director, leading independent auteur Anurag Kashyap (Black Friday) - and Aarekti Premer Golpo (Just Another Love Story) - which will also offer a chance to meet the film's star, venerated actor/director Rituparno Ghosh.

The closing night film, Autograph, will be accompanied by a performance by singer and composer Raghu Dixit. The winner of the Satyajit Ray Foundation Film Award, in honour of the late Bengali film-maker Satyajit Ray, will also be announced on the night.

This year the festival is reaching out to audiences across the capital, stretching from the West End to Wood Green and, in a bid to build bridges between the film production industries in the UK and India, LIFF is hosting the Guru Lounge (5-8 July). In association with BAFTA and Skillset, the Guru Lounge is a series of sessions aimed at connecting film professionals in the two countries, offering chances to meet acting and directing talent and explore co-production opportunities. "Our high level India/UK industry lunch last year was really well attended and kindled discussions about distribution, especially if UK distributors were involved at an early stage, co-finance possibilities and understanding India's legal and tax structures. We are planning a larger event this year", explains Sawhney.

The London Indian Film Festival (30 June - 12 July) is supported by Film London through the Cultural Film Exhibition Fund. For more details on this year's festival and the full programme, visit LIFF's website.