Chandigarh: 20 Feb 2020 - On Friday, 21 February 2020 , history to be created at Chandigarh with day long premiere annual Californian Sikh film festival being organised at Tagore Theatre. A number of exciting Sikh-centric films from around the world are scheduled to be played in the festival.
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Ojaswwee Sharma (Award Winning Film Director & India Head, Sikhlens) and Bicky Singh (Founder - Sikhlens, California) under the aegis of Pinaka Mediaworks in association with Chandigarh Administration, Department of Culture Affairs, Chandigarh Administration, and Rolling Frames Entertainment bring the best of Sikh Films and the premiere Sikh Film Festival from California, US for the first time in India to The City Beautiful, Chandigarh.
ENTRY IS FREE FOR PUBLIC!
Sikhlens ,The annual Sikh Arts and Film Festival California (not far from Hollywood). featuring films, documentaries, literary and art exhibits. Sikhlens, the World’s Premier Sikh Film Festival, screens 50-70 films over the week-end.
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It provides an outlet for sharing Sikh heritage and culture with the rest of the world by creating awareness of work that is “Sikh-centric,” showcasing Sikh talent, and instilling pride in the Sikh community.
Sikhs currently have minimal or no representation in the global mainstream, digital media or journalism and it is their mission to change that - Bicky Singh, Founder, Sikhlens Foundation.
“Sikhlens seeks work from artists in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to, films, art, music, and books. It creates appropriate avenues for this work to be shared with the rest of the world with the aim of getting more exposure for the presenters, and at the same time creating awareness about Sikhs, I am honored to be part of Sikhlens for India” ,said Ojaswwee Sharma.
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In addition to seeking Sikh-centric content, Sikhlens is also looking for young Sikh filmmakers and Artists with stories about mainstream Sikh-centric topics, or social issues.
Sikhlens has been embedded in the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts for the last seven years. Through the Project “S” and Destination “S” scholarship programs students have travelled throughout the world to produce Sikh-centric films.
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Recent trips to the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Malawi, Kenyon, Malaysia, Thailand and Nepal have produced some former festival submissions. It is our goal to expand to major film school across the world, duplicating the success we have had at Chapman University said Bicky Singh Founder Sikhlens .
The film festival happening happening in Chandigarh on the 21st of February promises a full day packed with 17 Films (shot films & documentaries), artist exhibitions and interaction with Vinod Chauhan, Almond Singh - Aman Gulati, Dr. Devinderpal Singh, Hardeep Singh and creative Sikh performances by Lily Swarn, Amy Singh, Kanwalpreet Singh and Minto Singh at the Tagore Theatre.
‘Bedediction’ would be the opening film of the festival and ‘Chaurassi’ would be the closing film of the festival.
Inaugural Session commences will be marked with dignitaries for historic lamp lighting and the list is
1. Sorabh Kumar Arora – PCS , Director cultural affairs.
2. Raj kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University.
3. Aneesh bhanot – President- Rotary Chandigarh Shivalik.
4. Renuka salwan – Dpr, Punjab University.
5. Dr Vibha Taluja - Director, Ashi Haryana.
6. Kuldip Sharma,veteran actor, former director Tagore theatre.
7. Jit singh, Asst. Director Tagore theatre society.
There will be 3 film sessions in the day long festival ,
12:00 PM
• Benediction (india/ 52mins)
• The lions of london (UK/ 14mins)
• I run while talking to god (fauja singh film) ---(UK/ 19mins)
• Shades of indigo (US/ 20mins)
• Growing life (Australia/ 11mins)
At 2:00 PM , World renowned Artists gather for the Artist segment and Poetry Recital including
1. Vinod Chauhan
We are thrilled to have the multiple award winning photographer Vinod Chauhan Sir
with his best of work on the Gurudwaras of Punjab Titled “CHARAN CHHOH”
His photographs depict the unfolding journey of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji in Punjab
Vinod Chauhan, An International Research Photo Artist is Currently Ranked World’s No
10 Top Travel Photographer by Photographic Society of America ( PSA )
2. Almond singh
Aman Singh Gulati is world’s first Almond artist and Guinness World record holder
who started making paintings and portraits on almonds. He has made paintings of many
renowned persons like Prime Ministers, Presidents and other celebrities Subsequently,
he decided to make a series on Guru Nanak Dev Ji biography and his teachings which
was named as “Soul of Sikhism Volume-1 “.It was
launched by Honourable speaker of Lok Sabha “ Mr. Om Birla “ in Delhi, India.
3. Hardeep Singh
Hardeep Singh, an educator by profession is an artist who is a multi talented person. He is
a Calligrapher too who creates high quality handwritten Gurbani Calligraphy. Along with
that, he is highly inclined towards reproducing the paintings to bring them up to their best quality.
4. Devinder pal singh
Ace kite maker & limca book of world record holder for world smallest kite that pass
through a pin.
5. Lily Swarn
Internationally acclaimed, Multilingual poet, Author, Columnist, Peace Ambassador,
Radio show host and Histrionics. Her book, “A Trellis Of Ecstasy “was lauded by The
Journal of Commonwealth Literature, London.”The Gypsy Trail,
Lily has won 38 International and national awards .Her poetry has been translated into 15 languages and her Urdu ghazals sung.
The second film session will start by 3:00 PM and the films will be:
• Sikh Formaggio - (Italy/ 22mins)
• Ride with Pride - (Australia/ 15mins)
• Rooh - (India/ 11mins)
• Red,white and beard - (US/ 12mins)
• The prisoners song - (US/ 20mins)
• Pagg -(US/ 18mins)
• Style with kaur - (Australia/ 14mins)
At 5 PM there will be Artist performances by
1. Amy singh
She is a Spoken word poet, an Integral Education facilitator and a TEDx Speaker. She uses poetry as her medium of storytelling, activism, protest and philanthropy to promote positive change and social justice. She runs a street poetry initiative called Cross Connection Poetries, to bring poems out into public spaces and everyday life.
2. Minto singh
Television Presenter & renowned stand up comedy artist
At 6:00 PM there will be the third film session featuring
• Zubaan - (India/ 25mins) - Multiple Award Winning
• She who questions - (Scotland/ 14mins)
• The singh twins -(UK/ 20mins)
• Scars: after a 100 years of Jallianwala bagh -(India/
32mins)
• Chaurassi (1984) -(India/ 20mins)
Concluding Session
• Concluding by co- founder by Gurpreet Kaur, Bicky Singh, Ojaswwee Sharma and other dignitaries followed by Farewell .