Our 3-day, weekend long film festival starts Friday, November 22 with our Opening Night at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts (Orange, CA) and then continues with 2 full days of movies, Saturday and Sunday, at The Frida Cinema (Santa Ana, CA). Sikh Art, Sikh Books, Sikh Short Films and Sikh Feature Films!!!

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The Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival in Orange, CA opens on Friday, November 22^nd at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts’ Folino Theater. The Red Carpet event will screen several films and highlight their illustrious film makers.

Doors open at 6:15 PM.

Location (Friday Night Only):

Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Folino Theater – Chapman University
283 N. Cypress St.
Orange, CA 92866

Website: Dodge College – Chapman University

Dress code:

• Indian formal Maharaja and Maharani Attire
• Western Formal
• Dress to impress

Keynote Speakers: The Singh Twins (Amrit & Rabindra Kaur Singh)

Contemporary British artists, Amrit & Rabindra Kaur Singh will discuss their recent artwork “Jallianwala: Repression and Retribution” and the film that grew out of it. They narrate the film which will be screened later in the evening. They will provide details of their research into Jallianwala, and their efforts in the creation of this amazing piece of  artwork.

Amy Singh: Spoken Word Poet

Amy is a Spoken word poet, an alternative educator and a TEDx Speaker. She uses poetry as her medium of storytelling, activism, and philanthropy to promote positive change and social justice. After an introduction to her work, she will perform a piece on Jallianwala.

All filmmakers of our featured films tonight will be in attendance. There will be a Q&A session after the screening of all the films.

World Premier films, or in the case of Peerless Soul—West Coast Premier

Some of the films to be screened on Friday include:

Peering Soul

Amardeep Singh embarked on two separate extensive journeys into cities and villages in Pakistan and subsequently authored two books on the Sikh Legacy in Pakistan.

During his second visit, Salman Alam took some candid video footage of Amardeep’s field explorations, focusing on architectural feats and landmarks and capturing a sense of place and time. The film Peering Soul creates a sense of nostalgia and also highlights the breath-taking beauty of landscape and architecture by exploring the abandoned spiritual sites in remote areas of Pakistan.

Shades of Indigo

Sam Dhaliwal is a Sikh farmer who migrated to America in 1976. Starting with just ten acres of land, and overcoming white supremacist attacks, Sam today owns over 400 acres of farmland in Bellingham, Washington. However, this isn’t just an immigration story. The passion that the entire Dhaliwal family has towards agriculture can be seen in every step of their journey. Sam’s son Rob Dhaliwal continues to be involved in the farm operation after receiving a degree in horticulture. With Sam’s experience and grit coupled with Rob’s academic approach and technological awareness, the Dhaliwal’s today have broadened into verticals of processing and packaging their harvest. They even hire documented migrant labor as a way of giving back.

Climate Change and local summers that have been punctuated by record-breaking heat waves have had deleterious effects on crops. Despite all they have to contend with, the Dhaliwal’s continue to strive to give back to their adopted homeland and its people.

Jallianwala: Repression and Retribution

“Jallianwala: Repression and Retribution”, is a film based on new artwork by contemporary British artists, The Singh Twins. The artwork itself is designed in three parts as a triptych. The center panel (shown above) largely focuses on the massacre – namely, the moment on 13th April, 1919, when a solider of the British Raj, Brigadier-General Dyer, ordered his troops to open fire, on a peaceful demonstration of un-armed Indian civilians in the city of Amritsar, Punjab in northern India.

The left panel focuses on the historical context of Jallianwala. In particular, it emphasizes how the motives, methods and unremorseful attitude of Dyer towards the massacre of innocent civilians whom he described as ‘mutineers’, reflected an established mindset of Imperial superiority.

The right panel explores the impact of Jallianwala in terms of how it acted as a catalyst for India’s freedom struggle and the story of Shaheed Udham Singh – the Punjabi Sikh who made it his life’s mission to avenge the atrocity committed against his countrymen.

The Singh Twins narrate the film and discuss their research into Jallianwala, and their efforts in the creation of this artwork.

 

A great way to spend your Saturday morning and afternoon – watching movies and meeting interesting people in the Creative Arts industry. And don’t miss a Spoken Word performance by Amy Singh. Over 9-hours of content to choose from, all with one ticket!

This ticket includes:

• Nanak Naam Jazaz Hai
• Children’s Book Readings
• Creative Sikhs & Performance
• Short Films Session I
• Sikhs Across the World I

For more details click here.

 

Ticket does not guarantee a seat. Seats are limited and are on a first come, first served basis. Seats can not be reserved. Ticket only valid for events listed on this ticket. If the theater is filled to capacity, this ticket may be used for another concurrent screening. Some films may contain adult material. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Gurumukh Singh, his wife, and younger brother, Prem, live a fairly harmonious lifestyle in 1947 India. Both brothers open a contracting business and prosper. Prem gets married to Ratan Kaur and shortly thereafter Gurumukh becomes the father of Gurmeet. Their harmonious lifestyle is shattered after Ratan and her brother, Sukragujar, pit the two brothers against each other, leading to the closure of the business. Ratan takes charge of Gurmeet’s life and ensures he gets a good education. Years later Gurmeet has grown up, is in love with lovely Charanjit Kaur and hopes to marry her. Before that can happen, he loses his vision and may never get married, see again nor be able to look after his aged dad, mom, Prem and Ratan.

 

Sikh authors of children’s books will read portions of their books to children.

Author: Bhagneet Singh

Reader: Natasha Kaur

 

Traditionally, young Sikhs lean towards careers in engineering, medicine, and IT, but as this cluster shows, there are many extremely talented Sikh artists worldwide. During the “Creative Sikhs” session, filmmakers, artists, and authors will discuss their careers in a panel format. Harjus Singh and Hansjeet Duggal, both Dodge Film School graduates, who have been involved in many of the “Destination S” films, along with Salman Alam Khan, Teena Kaur, Ojaswwee Sharma, Jagraj Wasan and Sareena Sandhu will discuss their film experiences. Amy Singh, a Spoken Word author joins Bhajneet Singh, author of a new children’s book, and author Jessi Kaur, as they discuss the creative process. Artists Jasmeet Kaur, Priyanka Mac, Sarabjit Kaur Singh, and Aman Singh Gulati join world renown artists Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh to discuss creativity in their respective careers.

For more info on this session click here.

Panthic Digital Voices (PDV) is a joint collaboration of Sikhlens and Sri Hemkunt Foundation. Through this program, participants get an opportunity to grow their storytelling abilities using digital media. This is the fifth year of the PDV program. It was launched In December 2014. The topic for PDV 2019 is Kirat Karo.  A total of 40 movies were submitted on the topic.

Witness what PDV participants have created, and let this be an inspiration for your children.

All films in this session are under 50 minutes. Each one displays great discipline in creating entertaining stories with a minimal amount of screen time. The result is some very startling and even stunning tales that, even though they are over in a few minutes, continue to stay with you.

Click to read about the films in this session.

One of the most widely travelled minority groups in the world, Sikhs have made their home in over 100 countries. They all share one thing in common: a struggle to assimilate into new cultures while still retaining meaningful degrees of Sikhi in their new lives and the lives of their children. A fascinating look at various Sikhs whose stories will inspire you.

Click to read about the films in this session.

Nikka Zaildar 3 is the story of a landlord family residing in village of Punjab. Bhaag Singh, the head of the family, has three sons, and is an extreme miser. Nikka is Bhaag Singh’s grandson and the opposite of his grandfather. One-day Bhaag Singh dies of shock because his pocket has been picked and he loses his money. During the final rites, Nikka appears possessed and unhappy at seeing the expenditure. One wise old man concludes that this is not Nikka but Bhaag Singh’s spirit who is BACK. This begins the hilarious ride.

Plus…

She Who Questions (Pre-Feature Short Film)
A second-generation Sikh Scottish woman struggles to help other “Sikh sisters” adjust to Western society. She runs an organization called Sikh Sanjog, which is devoted to giving Sikh women equal opportunities.

The sequel takes up where Rabb Da Radio left off. A newly married man returns home and is saddened to learn his extended family has split apart.

A great way to spend your Sunday morning and afternoon, watching interesting movies and meeting interesting people. Five hours of content to choose from, all with the Sunday Matinee ticket!

This ticket includes:

• Sikhs Across the World II
• Short Films Session II
• Social Issues
• Short Films Session III

For more details click here.

One of the most widely travelled minority groups in the world, Sikhs have made their home in over 100 countries. They all share one thing in common: a struggle to assimilate into new cultures while still retaining meaningful degrees of Sikhi in their new lives and the lives of their children.  A fascinating look at various Sikhs whose stories will inspire you.

Click to read about the films in this session.

All films in this session are under thirty minutes.  Each one displays great discipline in creating entertaining stories with a minimal amount of screen time.  The result is some very startling and even stunning tales that, even though they’re over in a few minutes, continue to stay with you.

Click to read about the films in this session.

Many controversial or sensitive issues in the Sikh diaspora are ignored or hidden, and grow worse and worse.  Sikhlens Arts and Film Festival intends to air even the most controversial of issues, because we believe that the light of day can provide solutions or new insights. This year’s film deals with child abuse within a Sikh family that is finally revealed when the girls are adults.

Click to read about the films in this session.

We had so many great films submitted this year that we had to add another session. Stay to enjoy these just released films.

Click to read about the films in this session.

Based on an incredible true story of the Battle of Saragarhi in which an army of 21 Sikhs fought against 10,000 Afghans in 1897.The film focuses on Havildar Ishar Singh who led a Sikh platoon against an invading army of 10,000 Afghans to defend the North-West Frontier Province. The event is considered as one of the greatest last stands in history.

Ardaas Karaan is the second part of Ardaas 2016.  The film revolves around the lives of three elderly men who have to deal with the changing times and conflicts among their family members while trying to instill family values among them.