The Bite The Mango film festival proved once again last night that, unlike Holly-wood, it needs no red carpet.

With live music, entertainment and quality films, the festival, now in its 12th year, got off to a flying start with the UK premiere of Little Box of Sweets - a film set in India about a young girl's conflict between love and the pursuit of a dream.

Sisters Meneka Das and Sheenu Das, who starred in, directed and produced the film were at the premiere held at the Museum of Photography, Film and Television.

The sisters are no strangers to the Bite The Mango Festival. Meneka's short film, The Audition, opened the event in 2003.

Sheenu Das, who produced the film and starred in the role of Lalli, said: "It's fantastic for us to be back here again for our second film.

"Working with such a small budget has been the biggest challenge for us with this film because we have taken on so many roles to bring the project together.

"Bite The Mango is a great milestone for us but the film still has a long way to go as we continue to look for distributors."

Singapore was the Country in Focus for this years' Bite the Mango Festival and the guest festival director was Singapore-born Addy Rutter.

"The enthusiasm about the Singapore films has been really heartening to see," he said. "Singapore's film industry is very new and to have it showcased at an established event like this is fantastic."

The Singapore film screenings running throughout the festival include Eric Khoo's Mee Pok Man, 12 Storeys and Be With Me and Jack Neo's Homerun, I Not Stupid Too and I Do I Do.

The highlight of the festival will be the UK premiere of Jackie Chan's New Police Story, an action movie marking Chan's return to Hong Kong film-making.

Special guest star Indian actor Shivaji Satam will also appear at the festival to introduce his film Uttarayan, about a mid-50s couple sharing romance and memories in contemporary India.

There will also be film workshops and demonstrations running as part of the festival that runs until Thursday, September 28.

e-mail: jennifer.sugden@bradford.newsquest.co.uk