Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival '19 (San Antonio)

Sikhlens is returning back for it’s second year of our mini film festival at the Laurie Auditorium on the campus of Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas.

This is a FREE NON-TICKETED EVENT with thanks from the support of The Trinity Diversity Connection and the local San Antonio Sikh community. Reception to follow movie screenings.

We look forward to seeing your there!

The following movies will be screened at this event:

Ride With Pride

The founder of the Sikh Motorcycle Club in Melbourne, Australia fights for helmet exemptions for turbaned Sikhs. (15 mins)

We are Not Strangers

“Bellingham” tells the tragic story and aftermath of September 4, 1907 when a riot broke out in the streets of Bellingham, Washington, when a mob rounded up nearly 200 Sikh lumber mill workers and forced them out of town. Using beautifully-crafted recreations, spoken recollections and poetic visuals mementos, “Bellingham” tells the story of this ravaged town more than a century later, still trying to understand its past and look to its future. (16 mins)

Jutti Kasoori

Walking into the Unknown: A History of Punjabi Women in California. Using archival footage and interviews, this film chronicles the extraordinary stories and contributions of the pioneering South Asian Punjabi women in California’s Central Valley. (27 mins)

The Lions of London

Through vivid eye witness accounts and the collective voice of historians, government leaders and community organizers, “Lions of London” reveals the tremendous contributions of the Sikh community in both World Wars l and II. Sikhism has deep rooted values of fighting against tyranny and oppression. Sikhs are renowned as excellent fighters, dating back to their battles against the Mughal tyrants, and their bravery earned them the nickname of “lions” on the battlefield. The Sikhs continued this military tradition as they took up arms and joined the British in the fight for democracy in both World Wars, losing tens of thousands of soldiers in the fights for freedom. Their sacrifices and heroism are vividly remembered in “Lions Of London.” (14 mins)

Live Performance by Aman K. Batra

Aman K. Batra is an Indian-American poet from Artesia, CA.
She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Creative Writing, and has since built her career in written and performance poetry. She is a National Poetry Slam finalist, a member of the Hollywood Slam Team, and a teaching artist in Los Angeles and Long Beach county. Aman’s poetry is heavily tied to her work as an educator, activist, and intersectional feminist. Her work has been featured on All Def Poetry, Button Poetry, Vibe, and The Huffington Post. 

Winner of Peace

A young Sikh poet steps into the public eye after competing on “Australia’s Got Talent” and must walk the line between her community and personal beliefs, finding solace in spoken word. (12 mins)

Style with Kaur

A young Sydney-based fashion designer, and first ever turbaned Sikh fashion blogger, fuses eastern and western cultures with her fashion. (14 mins)
SIKH, RATTLE & ROLL At 14, Jasbir is approaching an important point in his adult and spiritual life as a Sikh. However his friends are all winding him up about it and he is worried about the pressures of the whole day. Even more so, how will he be able to merge his one real passion for Elvis with his life as an adult Sikh? (10 mins)

Knitted Beliefs

A Tapestry of Harmony. Experience the peace in Narayanpura, a neighborhood in Karachi, where Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs live in arguably the largest multi-ethnic community in Pakistan. (15 mins)