BY GINA DARGAN
ORANGE, CA - SikhLens hosted its 16th annual Sikh Arts and Film Festival from Nov 15- 18 , showcasing the culture of Sikhism through different mediums of art from creators all around the world. The four-day cinematic festival was dedicated to highlighting Sikh awareness on a global scale, while also touching upon social issues within communities.
ORANGE, CA - SikhLens hosted its 16th annual Sikh Arts and Film Festival from Nov 15- 18 , showcasing the culture of Sikhism through different mediums of art from creators all around the world. The four-day cinematic festival was dedicated to highlighting Sikh awareness on a global scale, while also touching upon social issues within communities.
 |  |
On Nov 15, a private inauguration was held at Chapman University, hosted by the Dean of the Leatherby Libraries, Charlene Baldwin and her staff. The exclusive event showcased a 120-day art exhibit created by the Singh Twins called The Fabric of Punjab. The night wrapped up as patrons watched a 15 minute teaser of the live play, Rag Head and enjoyed dinner.
The following night, Nov 16 was hosted at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where multiple feature films were premiered for the very first time. Attendees got the opportunity to watch original works such as Benediction, Jutti Kasoori, Knitted Beliefs, Sardar Ji, and Shades of Green.
Screenings on Nov 17 and 18 took place at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, which included a plethora of films ranging from huge Bollywood hits such as Soorma to short films created by aspiring filmmakers from every corner of the world. This year, SikhLens even outshined themselves by premiering their first ever live action play, Rag Head. No matter the type of medium, every art piece showcased throughout the entire weekend was delivered to educate and highlight the accomplishments of the Sikh heritage in its own way, which is the beauty of SikhLens.
Organizer and founder of Festival, Bicky Singh, explained the significance and importance of having a platform like SikhLens. He recalled growing up in a traditional family, where subjects like science and math were constantly emphasized, whereas the arts, films, and media were often overlooked. Alongside this, he also noticed how there was ultimately no representation or media awareness of Sikhs within the U S. So, Singh decided to take matters into his own hands by staying true to himself and towards his passion for creative expressions. And, ultimately, he launched SikhLens as a way to combat these obstacles. Taking it one step further, Singh realized that he wanted to bridge the gap between Sikh and American cultures. He has successfully done this by teaming up with Chapman University to grant scholarships for film students from all different backgrounds in order to educate them about the Sikh faith as they film different Sikhi families from all over the world. These students’ films are part of the Destination S and Project S programs, which were also featured throughout the weekend.
This process has made SikhLens what it is today. An educational, yet entertaining event where people from all cultures come together in order to support the arts.
The following night, Nov 16 was hosted at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where multiple feature films were premiered for the very first time. Attendees got the opportunity to watch original works such as Benediction, Jutti Kasoori, Knitted Beliefs, Sardar Ji, and Shades of Green.
Screenings on Nov 17 and 18 took place at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, which included a plethora of films ranging from huge Bollywood hits such as Soorma to short films created by aspiring filmmakers from every corner of the world. This year, SikhLens even outshined themselves by premiering their first ever live action play, Rag Head. No matter the type of medium, every art piece showcased throughout the entire weekend was delivered to educate and highlight the accomplishments of the Sikh heritage in its own way, which is the beauty of SikhLens.
Organizer and founder of Festival, Bicky Singh, explained the significance and importance of having a platform like SikhLens. He recalled growing up in a traditional family, where subjects like science and math were constantly emphasized, whereas the arts, films, and media were often overlooked. Alongside this, he also noticed how there was ultimately no representation or media awareness of Sikhs within the U S. So, Singh decided to take matters into his own hands by staying true to himself and towards his passion for creative expressions. And, ultimately, he launched SikhLens as a way to combat these obstacles. Taking it one step further, Singh realized that he wanted to bridge the gap between Sikh and American cultures. He has successfully done this by teaming up with Chapman University to grant scholarships for film students from all different backgrounds in order to educate them about the Sikh faith as they film different Sikhi families from all over the world. These students’ films are part of the Destination S and Project S programs, which were also featured throughout the weekend.
This process has made SikhLens what it is today. An educational, yet entertaining event where people from all cultures come together in order to support the arts.
RSS Feed
