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PRESS RELEASE July 2006
"MISTAKEN IDENTITY: Sikhs in America"
Winner of three first prize awards
at American Film Festivals .. has
been nominated for the Manthan-AIF
Award 2006 on 5 August in New Delhi,
India. This TV program commemorates
the 5th anniversary of 9/11 and we
are planning to have it screened on
Doordarshan nationwide in India (primetime
viewers 600 million).
It is a remarkable achievement for
a documentary film which most Sikhs
in America "sabotaged" and refused
to fund and accept as the first-ever
film informing and educating mainstream
America about Sikhs, Sikhism and what
the Sikh community has contributed
to the United States for over one
hundred years. Even after the young
22-year old anchorwoman had a tragic
accident, not one Sikh in America
wanted to help us promote the film
in the USA and Canada.
Check out our completely free and
sponsored website: www.cultural-diversity.co.uk
by Jean
Bartlett in Cardiff, Wales who
was one of the only Westerner who
understood the importance of the film
and the sacrifices, and placed us
on the Internet
Also note that the filmmaker of MISTAKEN
IDENTITY was instrumental in bringing
Mr. Donald Rubin, Chairman of the
Rubin Museum of Art in New York and
Dr. Narender Kapany from Palo Alto,
CA, to successfully promote the Sikh
Identity at the launching of the first-ever
East coast Sikh Art Exhibition from
September 17, 2006 to January 29th
for a period of 4 1/2 months. Check
out www.rmanyc.com
-
PRESS RELEASE February2005
FILM TRAIL BLAZER FOR SIKHS’ MISTAKEN
IDENTITY “GLOBAL MEDIA EVENT” CELEBRATES
MULTI-CULTURAL DIVERSITY
On 7 February 2005, there was a successful
screening of “MISTAKEN IDENTITY: Discovering
Sikhs” at the Nehru Centre (the Cultural
Wing of the High Commission of India)
in London. Lord Baron Navnit Dholakia,
OBE, chaired the evening, stating:
"this is the best documentary film
on Sikhs I have seen to date...”.
Internationally acclaimed as a campaigner
for human rights and democracy, he
is the first South Asian to be Chairman
of the Liberal Democratic Party of
Great Britain, in the House of Lords.
There are plans to organize major
“diversity leadership role model”
awards ceremonies as part of screening
the film at the House of Lords! United
Nations New York Headquarters and
Capital Hill, Washington, DC. and
during the Asian Heritage Month in
Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver !
Dr. Savi S. Arora, Managing Director,
Knowledge Hemispheres Ltd. Fast-tracking
your success at www.know-how2.com
and E-Citizenship, spoke of his UK
background as a British Sikh in relevance
to the film. Jaya Shah, President,
Jaya Foundation, (Detroit, MI) sent
out 250 invitations to guests: Kitty
Cooper, Contemporary Films, Pam
Cullen, both Founder Trustees
of the Satyajit Ray Foundation; Mike
Ricketts, Chairman of the Foundation
for Human Rights and Tolerance (UK);
Rev. Janet Kenyon Laveau, Church
of Scientology; Brian Walker,
Chairman, WCRP; Jehangir Sarosh,
Religions for Peace (UK); Brian
Pierce, Director, Inter Faith
Network for UK; and Farah Damji,
Publisher, Another Generation, Blink,
BBC, Time, Guardian, Blink, Asians
in Media, View London, etc.
Major sponsors for the "global media
event" listed The Bag Lady
www.bagladyit.com
(UK's #1 online directory and international
portal for women owned businesses,
uniquely offering a global buy-sell-barter
system through its website); CitiBank
(London, UK) proud to serve high-flying
NRIs, with US/UK media sponsors, Sikhnet.com
(USA); Sikh Spectrum.
Two major directories will be promoting
the sale of DVDs across the UK, USA,
Canada .. 2000Punjab.com and
UK's First Urban & Hip Hop Lifestyle
Directory: EveryUrbanThing.com
- the best place to shop, learn and
get information all under one roof!
On 26 January 2005, the film was shown
in Brussels, Belgium, to celebrate
India’s Republic Day, spreading the
“global media event” announced in
Hollywood, LA. More screenings will
take place in Europe, especially as
the Crowned Prince of Belgium is visiting
India in March and will be greeted
by Dr. Manmohan Singh, the first Sikh
Prime Minister of India!
Although, the enlargement of the European
Union has brought new opportunities,
it has also created new divisions
and inequalities, among the inhumane
migration and asylum policies where
stereotypes are reinforced and the
fear of the "other" is a serious problem.
Remember the restrictions on the turban
for of 7,000 Sikhs in Paris! “Mistaken
Identity” has been invited by United
Against Racism’s Network Conference:
“Dissolving Barriers: Intercultural
Dialogue in Europe” (May 4-8, 2005)
in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The event
offers opportunities to think about
solutions, plan common actions and
campaigns with the possibilities to
exchange ideas and provide knowledge
and practical tools to combat prejudice,
racism and conflicts.
On 16 January 05, the One World Week
Forum Film Festival at the Warwick
Art Museum in Coventry, UK, the Warwick
Boar’s critic Rito Paul wrote: “ …
the true sign of an expressive piece
of work is not how many answers it
gives, but how many questions it raises.
“Mistaken identity” proved that even
the smallest stone cast can lead to
an avalanche, but one must be brave
enough to cast it.”
Strangely, the film has taken on a
more powerful direction as the first
pilot project for a series on “Discovering
Multicultural Diversified Ethnic Neighbors”
involving exposes on the world’s major
religions and traditional life styles
of Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists
and Jews.
With major write ups in global newspapers,
BBC radio interviews and hundreds
of listings found on GOOGLE, YAHOO,
etc., the film’s UK credibility is
demanding more planned screenings
in Bedford, Birmingham, Bradford (NMPFTV),
Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby,
Dudley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hounslow,
Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Luton,
Manchester, Milton Keyes, Northampton,
Nottingham, Oxford, Wales (Swansea
– Peace Mala); Warrington, Wolverhampton
… to raise the initial funding for
a unique TV series entitled: “ Celebrate
Cultural Diversity”. Fund-raising
events will be organized where DVD
will be sold.
YEAR 2004 -- MISTAKEN IDENTITY screenings
moved across the Atlantic (celebrating
George Washington’s birthday) with
the London premiere sponsored by the
British Women in Film & TV (WFTV)
on 19 April 2004 at the Channel 4
Studio, with a interview on Sonia
Doel's prime time BBC radio show with
Managing Director, Jean Bartlett,
BagLadyit.com) and Director Producer
of the film, Vinanti Sarkar. This
was organized by Actress, TV Journalist/Reporter
Rani Singh, (one of the first South
Asian female lead actresses - BBC’s
Eastenders, etc.,) who took on the
role of Vice President and Associate
Producer for the UK. It also commemorated
the 3rd anniversary of 9/11 in the
town of Bedford on 12 September 2004.
Screenings were attended at the Dudley’s
Youth Alliance Center, organized by
SYA/Dudley Racial Equality (16 April);
with participation at the Vaishaki
Parade in Hansworth, later in Birmingham
and London. A trip to Cardiff to meet
Judith Higginbottom, Rhian Iolo and
Sarah Howells at Sgrin Cymru Wales,
resulted in organizing public screenings
in Wales and Scotland, where large
communities of Sikhs reside. There
are concerns shared, if there were
a terrorist attack on Britain, it
may result in civil unrest.
Before the premiere Coventry screening
under the banner of the City’s PEACE
month and the University of Coventry,
headline news reported Jagdeesh Singh’s
(34) visit to his parents, when two
men in their early 20s yelled “Bin
Ladin,” “Paki” and brutally attacked
him with repeated punches in the head,
in front of his 10 year old nephew,
who was left a complete emotional
wreck. Two major screenings were organized
by the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
during their GROW BIG 2nd December
2004 event at the Edgebridge Cricket
Club.
YEAR 2003 - Within six month of its
official release (April to September
2003), the film won three first prize
awards: The Golden Lion Award at the
George Lindsey UNA Film Festival,
Florence, Alabama; the REMI Gold Statuette
for “outstanding creative excellence”
competing with over 4,500 entries
from 37 countries at the WorldFEST-Houston,
TX and 1st prize for documentary directorial
debut at the New York International
Independent Film Festival in Hollywood,
LA. The “global media event” was launched
on 22 September 2003 for screening
around the world, as the film received
numerous citations from Gray Davis,
Governor of California, City Council
of New Orleans, etc.
It is becoming a key source of informing
and educating law enforcement and
police academies, human rights, amnesty,
peace organizations, world religions
interfaith groups, multicultural,
film, media communication, South Asian
studies and religious departments
at major universities (i.e. Harvard’s
Centre for World Religions); libraries
and schools. On 19 June 2003, there
was a successful screening at the
prestigious National Arts Club in
Gramacy Park, New York, where over
200 American members remarked: “the
film opened a window into the lives
of Sikhs about whom we knew nothing.
We always wanted to ask why they wore
turbans, but found it embarrassing
…”.
The film entered and received a citation
on 13 June at the first-ever Hollywood
Spiritual & Entertainment Film
Festival (after the triumphant Easter
success of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion”)
in Los Angeles. In the month of July,
it was screened on 13 July at the
2004 Parliament of the Council of
World Religions (CPRW), Barcelona,
Spain (7-13 July).
New York Filmmaker Vinanti Sarkar
refused to accept the voice of one
PBS producer, Amani Roland, who wrote:
“it unfortunately is not a programming
priority for us at this time…” Wake
up Mr. Roland, How do you justify
senseless “hate crime” murders of
Balbir Singh Sodhi in Meza, Arizona
(16 September 2001); Sadhu Singh,
45, threatened at gunpoint in his
cab (October 2001); Gurpreet Singh
killed in Richmond (2 July 2003);
Inderjit Singh shot in the jaw in
El Sobrante, CA (5 July 2003); 21-year
old Davinder Singh driving a cab in
San Jose/San Carlos, targeted because
of his accent and orange turban (13
September 2003); Rajinder Singh Khalsa,
54, mocked, attacked, punched and
kicked unconscious with a broken nose
and eye socket by Salvatore Marceli,
26 (12 July 2004), etc. ….
The film was produced by two non-Sikh
women, 22-year old Amanda Gesine and
New York Filmmaker Vinanti Sarkar,
six days after 9/11, when Amanda learned
about the senseless martyrdom of Balbir
Singh Sodhi in Meza, Arizona. She
was convinced that the stories of
racial profiling, verbal abuse and
physical assaults on American Sikhs
was due to fear and ignorance, so
“Mistaken Identity” was produced in
a highly emotional frame of focus,
with the sensitive task to inform
and educate mainstream North America
about Sikhs and Sikhism.
Exclusive London (UK) SCREENING
BY WFTV FILM "MISTAKEN IDENTITY" 19
April 2004 "A CELEBRATION OF CULTURAL
DIVERSITY"
Premiere London screening of "MISTAKEN
IDENTITY: A Celebration of Cultural
Diversity" on Monday 19 April 2004,
exclusively for British WFTV members
and by invitation only. The organization
exists to protect and enhance the
status, interests and diversity of
women working at all levels in film,
television and digital media industries.
Since its inception in 1990, Women
in Film & TV established itself as
a respected industry body that has
gone from strength to strength in
membership and influence. Download
Press Release
February 2004 -Download Press Release
Celebration
of Cultural Diversity Invitation
to sponsor MISTAKEN IDENTITY in USA,
Canada,
UK,
France,
Germany,
India
and Australia,and
build your business image
January 7th 2004 -Welcome support
by RANI SINGH, STAR OF TV’s
“EastEnders” Actress, Journalist/Reporter,
Ms Rani Singh joins the Board
of Advisors for screenings of “MISTAKEN
IDENTITY: Sikhs in America” as part
of the “global media event” in the
United Kingdom premiering in April
2004. Download Press
Release (Word Document)
DownLoad-Mistaken
Identity: Sikhs In America Fact Sheet(November,2003)
Press Release - On
the Eve of A Major Sikh Festival (November
9th, 2003)
Preview Mistaken
Identity: Sikhs in America Presentation
& Short Preview of the Film(Flash)
RedHot
Curry Reviews(July 30th, 2003)Mistaken
Identity: Sikhs In America
AUSTON CHRONICLE SCREENS - 25 April
2003 Short Cuts by Marc Savloy
Among the first causalities of 9/11
and the war on terror was too often
tolerance and understanding toward
Muslim Americans and people of Middle
Eastern descent living in America.
That's tapered off somewhat (and sadly the mainstream media), but it remains
a grave concern not only for Muslims but also for American Sikhs, whose traditional
appearance and garb have brought much unwanted and unwarranted attention from
both the current administration and a populace largely ignorance of their culture
and religion.
In hopes of furthering the public's awareness of this troubling situation,
the Austin Sikh Community is screening Mistaken Identity …"
DESI TALK - New York (US) www.desitalk.com
"Mistaken Identity" wins Golden Lion for Best Documentary Film
INDIA TODAY - NY-US www.indiatoday.com
"Turban Trail" June 2, 2003
INDIA WEST - CA-US 13 Sept. 2002 www.indiawest.com
"Mistaken Identity: Sikhs After 9/11 by Lisa Tsering
INDIECLUB. COM Online www.
Indieclub.com
Mistaken Identity - Winner of two GOLD Awards - describes pre-production, filming
and post production as a guideline for young independent filmmakers.
INDO-AMERICAN NEWS - Houston, TX
(US)
"Mistaken Identity" 6 June 2003
The documentary film goes beyond
the shock and common wrath that consumed
us all in the immediate aftermath
of September 11. Terrorism of another
sort - racism - took hold of the
American character and for a time
corrupted the country's morality.
In the face of such adversity, the cherished ideals (liberty and freedom of
speech, religion, etc) that guard the cornerstone of American society became
wounded by victimization and racial profiling of fellow Americans - demonizing
those who simply looked like the terrorists.
KENNER PICAYUNE, New Orleans, LA
21 November 2002
"This film is a tool to further
impart knowledge about the Sikhs
and the peaceful and hardworking
Sikh community. Through this documentary,
we wish to increase appreciation
of cultural diversity and promote
unity in diversity," said Raj
Pannu, former secretary of the Sikh
society of the South and coordinator
of the event who also serves as chair
of the Asian/Pacific American Society…"
NEWS INDIA - New York (US) 3 September 2002
"Sikh Solidarity Gathering After 9/11 at Bombay Palace" by Ganesh S.
Lakshman
PAHS NEWS 27 October 2002
"Punjab American Heritage Society Story" sponsored premiere attended
by over 200 prominent personalities from mainstream community members of Yuba-Sutter
area at Lee Burrows Arts Center in Marysville on October 23, 2002.
Over 90 percent audience were non-Sikhs including Sutter country, Sheriff Jim
Denny, Judge Evans, District Attorney Carl Adams, Yuba City School District
Superintend Mr. Goldwin, …
Audience members were given evaluation forms and response was overwhelmingly
positive with 100% approval by the viewers … they found it very educationally
entertaining and well worth their time … even suggested good for police
academy training.
Most teachers felt it was an excellent documentary to teach cross cultural
understanding …
POLISH NEWS - America's Leading
Polish Bilingual Illustrated Monthly
"Celebrate Cultural Diversity in America" www.polishnews.com
PR WEB NEWS 11 December 2002
"Mistaken Identity - Celebrates Cultural Diversity in American TV Programming"
ONE WORLD TV - 20 April 2003
After 9/11 involved young generation
to understand and appreciate the
tapestry of cultures by exploring
the backgrounds of their neighbors,
colleagues, associates and classmates.
Never judge a book by its cover - discover the beauty of looking into the face
- the eyes - the emotions to be shared - in discovering strangers.
We are all part of one large family exciting on this Planet Earth - no one
better or wiser than the next - because there is too much to learn and absorb
- time is a drop in the ocean …
RED HOT CURRY Online (UK) 30 July
2003 www.redhotcurry
"Review - Mistaken Identity: Sikhs in America"
SIKHLINK Online www.sikhlink.net
"Mistaken Identity: 1 September 2003
SIKH MEDIA POINT 28 April 2002 www.sikhpoint.com
"First TV Program On Sikhs in America - After 11th of September 2001
SIKHNET NEWS - 1 February 2003 www.sikhnet.com
"First TV Program on Sikh Americans after 9/11"
SIKHNET www.sikhnet.com
"Mistaken Identity" Organizes Global Media Event to Stop Racial Profiling
of Sikhs"
SIKHNET Main Topic 19 August 2002 www.sikhnet.com
"Mistaken Identity: Sikhs in America - A 9/11 Story
SIKH REVIEW www.sikhreview.org
"A Celebration of Cultural Diversity in America"
SMART: Sikhmediawatch. www.sikhmediawatch.org
"Turning Ignorance Into Understanding" Author: Daniel Witter - Appeal-Democrat
10/21/02
SOUTH ASIAN OUTLOOK (Letter from USA) Toronto, Canada www.southasianoutlook.com
"Mistaken Identity: The need for understanding diversity in America" by
Azim Shah
They say that the first causalities
of war is truth and we are probably
further from it than we have ever
been.
Since the Attack on America resulted in those tragic events; ignorance, fear
and doubt dominate the political agenda …the national mood is increasingly
posture between positive patriotism and excessive jingoism.
Such stress will inevitably tare at the threads that bind the fragile fabric
of our culturally diverse communities and society together - challenge the
best and worst in America to jockey for pole position.
In the final analysis, we must participate and gain momentum or face the alternative
of becoming the scapegoat.
SULEKHA COFFEEHOUSE PAGE - 4 June
2003
"Mistaken Identity Wins Second Remi "Gold" Award
THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE SCREENS: SHORT
CUTS
"Short Cuts" by Marc Savlon 25 April 2003
Racism at its core is rooted in
the premise of fear. If we consider
the motivations in which racist/bigoted
thinking becomes pliable, can we
ask the question: is brown to be
the new black? Meaning certain levels
of stereotyping and racism will be
unofficially accepted in the name
of society's fears.
What then as South Asian Americans are we doing to address the profiling and
negative consequences of being demonized as terrorists in waiting ?
Granted, in these times of threat, we require diligent measure to ensure security
for all.
However, in a climate of fear and ignorance, the excesses of racists thinking
becomes prevalent.
THE DETROIT NEWS - 24 April 2003
"Sikhs Talk About Faith - and Fear" by Janet Vandenabeele www.detnews.com
THE PLURALISM PROGRAM - Harvard
University
"In the News - Sikhs Reach out"
THE SACREMENTO BEE - Marysville,
CA 26 October 202 www.sacbee.com
"Documentary on U.S. Sikhs has premiere in Marysville" by Tom Nadeau
"We all remember 9/11 with
pictures of Osmana bin Laden everywhere
the next day - the turban, the flowing
beard - but these people (Sikhs)
have nothing to do with him," said
Sutter County Sheriff Jim Denney,
keynote speaker …
Assaults and harassment were reported across the country in the days immediately
after the terrorists attacks, culminating in the murder of Sikh adherent Balbir
Sodhi in Mesa, AZ.
THE SIKH SENTINEL www.sikhsentinel.com
"Mistaken Identity - Divided Community
THE SIKH TIMES - India www.sikhtimes.com
"Inadequate Support for Mistaken Identity
THE SPARTAN DAILY CA-US 10 March,
2003 www.thespartandaily.com
"Film examines Sikh culture" by Falgum Bhuta
Maggie Carrera, an SJSU staff member
said she attended the even to broaden
her understanding of other cultures
and beliefs. Joan Tome, a graduate
student in sociology said. "Movies
from every country are different.
I want to understand more about what I don't know." Carmen Solorzano,
a graduate student in Spanish studies said, " It is a pity there aren't
that many younger generation making an effort to spread the word - there could
be more awareness … if the younger generation makes an effort to spread
the word …"
THE TIMES OF INDIA (Mumbai) India
"Golden Lion award for desi documentary" by Viral Bhayan 17 May 2003
THE TIMES OF INDIA (Chandigarh)
India www.timesofindia.com
"Golden Lion award for desi documentary" by Viral Bhayan 19 May 2003
THE TRIBUNE, Chandigarh, India-World www.tribuneindia.com
"US Sikhs' Film to explain Identity" 22 October 2003 |
