Monday, December 29, 2008

Oct 2008, Sikh Arts and Film Festival, New York

At the fourth annual Sikh Film Festival in the heart of Manhattan, the audience was a sea full of Sikhs and friends of the Sikhs.
The Gala night at Wall Street’s beautiful Cipriani restaurant was attended by lots of New Yorkers and was star studded by celebrities as well as intellectuals from Hofstra University Chair of Sikh Studies.

The lavish Waldorf Astoria and the limousine rides to the events were a novel experience to us. However, we felt right at home when we enjoyed the famous New York Style Pizza at Angelo’s on 55th Street. We loved their pizza and licked the serving of extra sauce clean!

The screening of the films took place at the prestigious Asian Society and Museum and the theatre was jam packed.


It was a privilege to meet some of the greatest directors in the Sikh Cinema, for example Emmy winners for Sikhs in America and makers of PBS films such as Dream in Doubt.
Dr. Sarab Singh Neelam’s ‘Ocean of Pearls’ was featured late in the evening, it was so popular that hundreds of people had to be turned away.

Sikh Cinema has a bright future with artists like Sarah Singh, who much like Angad, produced her film ‘The Sky Below’ single handedly.

The next day, Angad got an opportunity to meet and interview Jagmohan Singh Premi, who was repeatedly assaulted over many months at his high school. The Sikh Coalition intervened and now Jagmohan is enrolled in a school where he can feel safe.

Thank You, Dr. Johar for honoring ‘One Light’ amongst the best in Sikh Cinema.The enthusiasm and the way New Yorkers from different walks of life came together for the event were really awe-inspiring.

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