Accessibility information for Showroom Cinema can be found on our website and on AccessAble. If you have any questions regarding accessibility for the festival, please feel free to contact us at communties@srws.org.uk

Information on Accessibility at Showroom Cinema

The film follows filmmaker Darshan and his grandfather, Shop Dada, as they return to his first corner shop in England, revisiting a place filled with both joy and hardship. Through their journey, a story of migration, resilience and sacrifice unfolds, revealing the realities behind the stereotype of South Asians running corner shops in the UK. As memories surface, both spoken and unspoken, the film uncovers the challenges of racism and the strength it took to endure. At the same time, it traces a personal legacy, showing how Shop Dada’s instinct to document life has carried through generations, shaping Darshan’s own path as a filmmaker.

About the filmmaker: Darshan Gajjar is a Sheffield-based documentary filmmaker focused on stories of migration, identity, and social justice. His work explores the lived experiences of immigrant communities, often centring themes of belonging, discrimination, and intergenerational memory. Through intimate, character-driven storytelling, he aims to challenge stereotypes and amplify voices that are often overlooked.

Through the story of a family-run takeaway, this documentary opens a conversation about heritage, healing, and the courage to break cycles between generations.

Director Bio: Brannon is a British-born Chinese filmmaker working across documentary, narrative and commercial films. His work is driven by a curiosity about people, places and stories that often go unnoticed. With a particular interest in sharing underrepresented voices and perspectives, he creates stories that explore identity, belonging and the human experiences that connect us. Through his work, he hopes to give space to voices and perspectives that are too often overlooked.

Having moved to Sheffield from Somalia at 11, Najma feels like many migrants: straddling two worlds yet disconnected from both. She discovers a short storybook in the Sheffield Library written by Halima, a Somali woman who arrived in the UK in 1956. The information creates a limited, fragmented, and deeply sombre narrative.

A Story Left Behind follows Najma as she tries to fill in the gaps in Halima's story, exploring the contradictions of what Halima recorded of her life and what she omitted. Through the process, Najma embarks on a journey of self-discovery. The film celebrates Sheffield's vibrant Somali community while discussing the universal importance of archiving cultural history as an anchor for future generations.

About the filmmaker: Asma Kabadeh (she/her) is a Creative Producer and Filmmaker whose work bridges creative storytelling with community space making in service of racial justice, land justice and archival justice.