The 17th London Indian Film Festival will open with the European premiere of "52 Blue," directed by Ali El Arabi, about a young man's journey from Kerala to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in search of Lionel Messi. The film will also air at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham on July 10. The festival, which also includes the Birmingham Indian Film and Manchester Indian Film festivals, marks its 17th year with a program spanning 20 venues across six U.K. cities. The director, who credits the film's performances from Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia, expressed pride in its ability to show that stories are universal and still reach us in intimate ways.