SAFF 2024 :: RED CARPET NIGHT
Event Details
EVENT DETAILS
The Red Carpet at the Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival will once again be held at Chapman University in Orange, CA. The festival opens on Friday, November 22nd at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts’ Folino Theater. Aman Batra will host the evening. Matt Parlow and Sally Rubin from Chapman University will welcome the audience and Meeta Kaur will discuss The Kaurs Reimagine Story Project. Sikhlens films The Sikh Scholar and Khalsa Centre – Simran, Seva, Sangat will make their US premiere. The play Jaagde Raho (in Punjabi) and our feature film Game of Faith culminate this exciting evening.
Website: Dodge College – Chapman University
Dress Code: Indian formal Maharaja and Maharani Attire; Western Formal; Dress to impress.
Location (Friday Night Only):
Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Folino Theater – Chapman University
283 N. Cypress St.
Orange, CA 92866
Red Carpet Night Host: Aman Batra
Aman K. Batra is a Punjabi-American poet from Artesia, CA. She is a TEDx speaker, a National Poetry Slam finalist, and has toured colleges, universities, and poetry venues across the country. She graduated from UCLA with a BA in Creative Writing, and is currently obtaining her MFA in poetry from Antioch University. Aman’s poetry is heavily tied to her commitment as an educator and an activist. Her work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, All Def Poetry, Button Poetry, Vibe, Bustle, and Fight Evil With Poetry – Anthology.
For more, follow her on socials @amankbatra and her website: amankbatra.com.
Welcome Message by Matt Parlow
Matt Parlow is the Executive Vice President, Chief Advancement Officer, and Parker S. Kennedy Chair in Law at Chapman University. As the EVP/CAO, Matt oversees an award-winning and diverse team of more than 200 team members responsible for development, strategic marketing, communications, career services, athletics, special events, and the Hilbert Museum of California Art. Under Matt’s leadership, Chapman set a fundraising record with more than $72 million raised during the 2022-23 academic year. In addition, in February 2023, Chapman launched the public phase of Inspire: The Campaign for Chapman University—a $500 million comprehensive campaign, the largest and most ambitious campaign in the university’s history.
Prior to his current role, Matt served as Dean and the Donald P. Kennedy Chair in Law of Chapman’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law. As the law school’s second longest-serving dean, Matt brought the Fowler School of Law to financial stability while at the same time matriculating the strongest and most diverse classes in its history and achieving three consecutive years of record graduate employment. His fundraising also led to the establishment of several new professorships; created scholarship funds to increase access for students from underrepresented groups; and supported expansion of key curricular areas to spur innovation and student success.
Previously, Matt was the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School, where he taught Property, Land Use, and Professional Sports Law (with Major League Baseball Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig). Prior to that, he served on the faculty at the Fowler School of Law from 2005-08. Matt was voted the Professor of the Year during his time at both Marquette Law School and the Fowler School of Law. Prior to his academic career, Matt was an associate with the Los Angeles firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Pamela Ann Rymer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Matt holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and a B.A., magna cum laude, in History from Loyola Marymount University.
Matt has also served on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations and has been appointed to a number of local and state government task forces. In addition, he serves as a consultant to professional sports leagues and teams, and advises local, state, and national officials on a variety of political, legal, and policy matters. Matt has been a leader in the legal academy in serving as the Chair of both the State and Local Government Law and the Sports Law sections of the Association of American Law Schools and on accreditation teams for the American Bar Association. His scholarship has appeared in the Colorado Law Review, Oklahoma Law Review, and Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law among other journals.
Sally Rubin
Sally Rubin is a documentary filmmaker, editor, and professor who has worked in the field for more than 25 years. She is currently working on Taking the Reins, a feature-length documentary about the myth of the American cowboy. In 2021, she released Mama Has a Mustache, a fully animated documentary about kids and gender identity. That film had an acquisition and development deal with Disney+ to be turned into a social issue docu-series for kids entitled Kids Talk. The film premiered at Outfest in 2021 and screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival, MountainFilm in Telluride, the Hamptons International Film Festival, and many others. Rubin also completed a commissioned piece for the Smithsonian called Appalachian Futures, released in January 2022.
In 2018, she completed Hillbilly, a feature documentary about media stereotypes of Appalachia. The film streamed on Hulu and Al Jazeera, and is now available on iTunes, Amazon and beyond. Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, Hillbilly is in distribution through 1091 Media (Cartel Land, Life Animated). It won the Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and has been praised by Michael Moore and Dolly Parton. In 2014, Rubin completed Life on the Line, about a teenage girl growing up on the U.S./Mexico border. The film broadcast nationally on PBS and premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Rubin’s previous film, Deep Down, was an ITVS-funded feature-length documentary about two friends in eastern Kentucky who find themselves divided over mountaintop removal coal mining near their homes. The film was part of the Emmy-winning PBS series Independent Lens (2010-2011) and has reached almost 1.5 million people through its broadcast, distribution, and outreach campaign. It was nominated for an Emmy for its Virtual Mine outreach project, in the category of New Approaches to News and Documentary. It was funded by Chicken and Egg Pictures, the MacArthur Foundation, ITVS, and the Fledgling Fund.
Rubin’s other credits include The Last Mountain, a film about her father’s death in a hiking accident that was broadcast on PBS; Robert Greenwald’s Iraq for Sale; and the television series The Freedom Files (editor), as well as David Sutherland’s six-hour Frontline special Country Boys (associate producer) and Riverwebs (editor), which broadcast nationally on PBS. In 2004, Rubin founded the groundbreaking Straight Outta Grrrlville Film Festival in San Francisco and continues to produce local events and benefits for artists and filmmakers, in conjunction with her own continued work.
Rubin is a member of the International Documentary Association and its David Wolper Award screening and judging committees; a feature documentary judge for the IDA Awards; a member of Doculink’s steering and planning committees; president of Tenth Muse Films’ board; and is the owner of New Day Films Cooperative.
After earning her M.A. in documentary film and video from Stanford University, Rubin fell deeply in love with the field of documentary film, where she hopes to continue working for a very long time.
Meeta Kaur
Meeta Kaur is a multiverse writer, storyteller, speaker, advocate, and educator. Meeta is the creator and editor of “Her Name Is Kaur: Sikh American Women Write About Love, Courage, and Faith,”published by She Writes Press, 2014. In conjunction with the writing life, she completes her graduate work in Political Communications at American University with a concentration in political speech writing. Kaur sits on the DEI Committees for American University School of Communication, the Connelly School of the Holy Child, and Burning Tree Elementary. Additionally, she organizes for Sikhs Against Abuse in Washington D.C.
Kaur has written for NPR, Hyphen Magazine, San Jose Mercury News, New Jersey Voices, Tayo Press, Kaur Life, Sikh Chic, and Asian Week. Kaur was also awarded the Hedgebrook Residency for fiction, the alumni return for creative non-fiction, and The Elizabeth George grant for fiction. She graduated with an MFA in creative writing from Mills College, and a B.S. and B.A. from the University of California, Davis.
What got you excited about this project? “I have been reading and discussing Sikh feminist texts with a young cohort of Kaurs for a few years now. They expressed interest and excitement in a Volume 2 of “Her Name Is Kaur” which has evolved into “Kaurs Reimagine”. The journey has been exciting, creative, challenging, and worth the effort. We are breaking down a lot of stereotypes across generations and experiencing the treasure of intergenerational project teams.
The Kaurs Reimagine Story Project: Truth Based Story Telling for Transformation
Kaurs Reimagine centers Sikh women’s truth-based narratives as a literary space for acceptance, healing, and transformation.
Spiritual brides, mothers, warriors, visionaries, and explorers take to the page to share and reveal deep inner truths, wisdom, and power while also revealing how they carve out a connection to the Divine.
These soulful and poignant stories provide a fresh terrain for the community to collectively heal, grow, share, question, reflect, and let go to create anew. The stories reveal unspoken taboos, silent and searing pain, courage, joy, and victories en route to our highest selves. The stories are meditation, prayer, and visionscapes for new beginnings.
LIVE PERFORMANCE…
JAAGDE RAHO
Jaagde Raho explores moral dilemmas during religious riots as elderly Bachhitar Singh shelters a stranger against his son Narinder’s wishes. Set in one night, the play examines generational conflicts, fear, trust, and compassion. It challenges viewers to consider the importance of empathy and difficult choices during societal upheaval.
ABOUT JAAGDE RAHO PERFORMANCE TEAM
DAVINDER SINGH
Davinder Singh is an acclaimed Indo-Canadian director, actor, and producer known for impactful projects like Waleed, What’s Your Identity, and Beneath the Makeup. Waleed earned honors as the 3rd Best North Indian Film. Singh’s recent productions include Apna Farz; Basera; Patka Box; Bold Helmets; Khalsa Centre – Simran, Seva, Sangat; Deportations 700; and Benaqab Chehre on Chaupal TV. With several compelling films in the pipeline for 2024, Singh continues to garner attention for his directorial skills.
ONLY KEWAL
Over the past decade, Only Kewal has honed his acting craft across a range of theatrical productions. He finds joy in both comedic and socially conscious roles, appreciating the chance to explore varied emotions and insights into society. Since 2013, Kewal has performed with multiple theatre groups, most recently acting in three Punjabi stage plays in 2023. His repertoire also includes a supporting role in the short film Identity.
MRIDUL SHARMA
Since childhood, Mridul has pursued his passion for acting, formally launching his career in 2018 after graduating from Toronto Film School. With three years of theater experience, he has built a diverse portfolio that includes student short films and Punjabi music videos, as well as background roles in major productions like Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol” and “The Mayor of Kingstown.”
Dedicated to his craft, Mridul maintains a rigorous daily practice routine focusing on monologues, voice work, and scene study. He has also expanded his skill set as a member of a stunt team, where he trains in hand-to-hand combat, knife fighting, boxing, and various jumping techniques. Whether big or small, Mridul approaches every opportunity with enthusiasm and commitment, constantly seeking to grow as a performer.
RISHI PURI
Rishi Puri is a playwright whose work celebrates the transformative power of theater to unite communities and inspire change. Through his plays, he masterfully explores themes of social justice, romance, religious conflict, and political issues, viewing the stage as a platform where everyday struggles find their voice and individuals discover their inner strength.His play “Itihaas Gawaah Hai” has been featured at prestigious venues including the Satrang Festival, Punjabi Art of Association, and Sikhlens. Beyond playwriting, Puri is also an accomplished poet who regularly performs his work on stage, embodying his belief in the collaborative spirit of theater and the importance of amplifying community voices.Currently, Puri is collaborating with the Sikhlens team on his latest production, “Jaagde Raho,” as he continues his journey of storytelling through theater.
Friday’s Red Carpet Night includes the following films…
The Sikh Scholar
The Sikh Scholar chronicles Gurinder Singh Mann’s transformative 25-year career in Sikh historical studies. The film showcases Mann’s groundbreaking research and innovative approaches, including his use of lectures, exhibitions, and digital technologies. It highlights how his work has revolutionized the field, offering fresh perspectives on Sikh history and culture.
KHALSA CENTRE – SIMRAN, SEVA, SANGAT
Khalsa Centre – Simran, Seva, Sangat captures the vibrant Sikh community and transformative experiences of a youth camp at British Columbia’s Khalsa Centre, where exciting outdoor adventures are interwoven with a Sikhlens-led filmmaking class.
OUR FEATURE FILM
Game of Faith
Game of Faith follows Paviter on his journey of self-discovery of realizing his faith is bigger than his fears.