MISTAKEN IDENTITY: It's focus is to inform and educate mainstream
America and non-Sikhs worldwide about who are Sikhs, what is Sikhism
and what Sikh Americans have contributed to American economy for
over 100 years. After Sep. 9/11, Sikh in Americans are repeatedly
being mistaken for Arabs and Muslims, because of their turbans
and beards. To date, they are repeatedly witnessing racial profiling,
verbal abuse and physical attacks that have ended in senseless
shooting and killing, the first - five days after 9/11, with the
murder of Balbir Singh Sodhi in Arizona
Sikhs in America- the first docu-drama (part of the film series
celebrating cultural diversity) - which focuses on discovering
Sikh Neighbors. Launched as the "global media event"
at Hollywood's premiere on 23 September 2003 in Los Angeles, the
film has had successful shows at Harvard University's Center for
World Religions, Wharton-UPENN, George Washington University-DC,
etc., and New York's prestigious National Arts Club ... with incredible
reviews, across 22 States.
Winner of three first prizes in major American Film Festivals:
The Golden Lion Award in Florence, Alabama (the Bible heartland);
the REMI Gold Statuette for "creative excellence" in
social issues at the WORLDFEST-Houston, TX, competing with over
4,500 entries. Finally, awarded the first prize for directorial
debut in documentary at the New York International Independent
film & Video Festival (FYIIFV) in Los Angeles (18-28 September
2003).
The film, docu-drama was produced by two non-Sikh women: 22-year-old
Amanda Gesine, Host and Investigative Journalist who conceived
the idea; and New York Filmmaker Vinanti Sarkar from India. She
knew nothing about Sikhs, never had a Sikh friend in school or
college. She represents the young voice of White America discovering
her Sikh neighbors.
Around the world, film will start from 15 April 2004, when the
film arrives across the Atlantic - linking USA and the UK in peace
and harmony. Press conferences will be held at the Foreign Press
Club in New York and London, as well as in Paris, New Delhi and
Sydney with invitations to the world multimedia and corporate
sponsors. It will be announced that the film was produced to celebrate
cultural diversity, and inform and educate mainstream and non-
Sikhs worldwide after 9/11.
Baisaki in the month of April- the most important festival of
the Sikh Calendar is most appropriate to hold the premiere in
London - known as the academic capital of Europe- 28 universities
and 12 higher educational colleges, with 45% black and Asian students
and over 50,000 international students. After premiere in London,
screenings will move across the United Kingdom, France, Germany,
India and Australia and continue until September 2004, to commemorate
the 3rd anniversary of 9/11. Programs are being scheduled at schools,
colleges, human rights, racial equality and cultural diversity
organizations and offices promoting "ethnic minorities".
In Canada, Canadian Association of University Teachers will help
to launch screening, where large communities of Sikhs reside in
Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
