"Proud to be A Sikh" is a short fiction shot within a span of day. This is a story of a 6 years old child, who is not aware of the sacrifices made by the Sikhs. One day he transformed by a ray of light.

2nd place competition winner in 2011 
for Intermediate age group (18-25)

Mirrored Meditation / Forsaken Notebook / Fading Away

In 2010, Houston Camp Group 4 campers came together to explore Sikh media arts. Using their creative artistic expression combined with their love for Sikhi, the young team produced three short films with the help of filmmaker Harjus Singh. The first film ("Mirrored Meditation") visually discusses the importance of meditation for the distressed mind. The second film ("Forsaken Notebook") artistically depicts psychological hardships we all face in the journey of life. The third film ("Fading Away") celebrates the Sikh Identity as both an homage to their ancestors and a representation of their beliefs. This is the culmination of their creativity and passion.

This animated story is related to a village, which within has a special youth named noor singh, who after completing his school studies leaves the village for professional studies to go to Guru nanak dev university.

It was definite that he was intelligent in his studies, but along side this, he also kept a great knowledge of sikhi.

When noor Singh returns to his village from his university break, he sees that his childhood friends had been stuck in the trap of drugs by bad influences and were venerable to them.

Lets see for our self’s how Noor Singh motivates his friends to enter the Sikh way of life.

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This film is highly dedicated to the youth that have lost their way around life.

All the team put in allot of effort and time into this!!

(You can hide or display the sub-titles by clicking on the "CC"  button on the bottom of the video player)

  The film is about the Aquarian Age, which we are moving into right now, and 5 concepts to keep us on track through these stressful and intense times. The story is of a girl who learns about the five sutras and incorporates them, consciously and with the help of her friends, into her life

The Five concepts are 
1. There is a way through every block
2. Understand through compassion or you will misunderstand the times.
3. When the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off.
4. Recognize the other person is you.
5. Vibrate the Cosmos and the Cosmos shall clear the path.

~~~

In the process of making this film, I had to overcome many obsticles, where I learned the true value of these five sutras. Many times our team hit walls and blocks, but using the very theme of our film, we were able to finally create this movie for your viewing. Please enjoy!

   A British Sikh comedy about a mysterious being called the Chocolate Monster who is causing some trouble in the neighbourhood. 

3rd place competition winner in 2011 
for Senior age group (26+)

A personal narrative of the GT:1588 exhibition held at The Brunei Gallery, University of London, SOAS – Recording and permission granted by the Organisers of the event.

2nd place competition winner in 2011 
for Junior age group (11-17)

This video is a visual representation of the journey we all take as Sikhs on the path to Waheguru. It is broken up into 3 parts, each coinciding with a quote chosen from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. 

The first piece, entitled "Wake" is meant to show that although our physical bodies might be awake, our minds are often focused on Maya, sleeping. 

The second piece, entitled "Walk" shows an abstract representation of the journey each Sikh must take on the path to reach Waheguru. This journey does not happen overnight. 

The final piece, entitled "Win", is what we all strive for. Although as film-makers and Sikhs, we have not reached this level in our journey, we tried to imagine what it would be like. We decided to combine regular activities (living the life of a householder) with Sikhi related activities such as doing paat and keertan. At this state, a Sikh has reached anand. 

We hope you enjoy our film!

This is their second year submitting to the SikhNet Film Festival. In 2010 they won 1st place in the junior division for their film "iz yu ignant bout Sikhi?"

1st place competition winner in 2011 
for Senior age group (26+)

 A reality-check on the current state of the Sikh Panth. The story highlights the understanding of Sewa, the caste system and Dasvandh that are prevailing in today’s society. Instead of the living experience of our Shabad Guru, we only bow our heads in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

1st place competition winner in 2011 

for Junior age group (11-17)

Sikh-American teenager Angad takes the message of friendship and building bridges to an international level. He and his American classmates host 32 French teens for two weeks as part of an exchange program. They get to know French lifestyle and culture on an individual level, breaking the common stereotypes that they had of the French, while showing their guests the true face of America. While exploring two other connections Angad has to France, and building his third one, he realizes something that devastates him. At the end of the program the students are almost culturally (Ex) Changed, Almost.

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I was searching for topics for my next documentary… only two weeks before the exchange program. The pre-production and production were really thrown together almost at the last moment, since I had two weeks -weekends really- to plan and acquire the equipment and 2 weeks to film while hosting, and attending the freshman year of my high school. 

Not only was it bad enough going into the project so haphazardly, I honestly had no idea what the film would turn out to be, I had never met the French interviewees, I had to pick a few at random to interview (because we didn’t have time to think it out), and I didn’t even understand the French students at the time. But most of all, I worried about making this film more than the exchange itself.

I think I might not have picked the most efficient way to deal with some of my problems, but it turned out that my biggest worry was the easiest to deal with. I thought that this film would only turn out to be about a high school exchange program, but as I progressed in the Post Production phase, I realized that there was much more to it. There was my personal story and connection with Martin, and the issue of me not being able to go to school in France. It broke my heart to know that the country, language and culture I love so much ( I have been studying French since grade 7th), does not accept me as I am. Kids like me are not allowed our basic right to education in France. 

Then, there was the story of the 32 hosts and the connections they made, and the story of two countries forging yet another bond to each other. 

So, it all came out beautifully and this film became a personal journey teaching me about my connection with Martin, and France, and how I was almost French… Almost. 

I hope I am able to take you and your audience to my school and my journey via (Ex) Changed. 

Sincerely,

- Angad Singh

Related Links

• (Ex) Changed on Facebook
• One Light Films Website
  
• News article about the film & more details about this film project

1st place competition winner in 2011 

for Intermediate age group (18-25)

  The story of this video focuses on a very common problem for Sikh boys and Girls in this modern world. The film tries to make people realize the true value of their heritage as Sikhs and feeling proud.

This Sat Deep Singh’s second year submitting to the SikhNet Film Festival. Last year his film titled, "The Forgotten Truth" was the 2010 winner for the intermediate division. You can watch his last film as well.

 Watch This video on YouTube

   The film takes the audience through the rich and universally appreciated tradition of Selfless Service or ‘Sewa’ as preached in the Sikh faith and how it can be a means for devotion to the Almighty God.

3rd place competition winner in 2011 
for Junior age group (11-17)

This movie is about a little girl who was adopted several times and moved from home to home. Because of this she was never good at making friends and she struggled with her social skills. She was bullied on a regular basis which lowered her self confidence. Her life changed completely when she met a Sikh girl named Gurbani Kaur, who by following Guru’s teachings learned that you should always help others regardless of their color, caste and religion.

 The Video summaries the importance of Kar Sewa – Voluntary, selfless service for the mankind, tribute to saints of India who made it happen with Almighty Grace and also with the help of holy congregation (sangat).

Our Homage to Sant Harbans Singh Ji Kar Sewa Wale who left for heavenly abode in April 2011. May This video serve his mission further.

We have also tried to answer some of the queries related to Kakaars and Love for homeland : India

I wish that the audience will like it.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru ji Ki Fateh.

 I used my own real life experience in making this movie.

 One summer day we (the kids of Cannock Gurdwara and Noor productions) were inspired to meditate together in the Darbar Sahib. The result was an unmatched inspiration to channel our thougths and concerns. We all deeply felt the neccessity to address issues within our faith about the injustice our mothers, sisters and daughters face …. throughout their lives, because Khalsa has no gender!!!

This video is a drama written and directed by Gursunder Kaur of Noor Productions. it illustrates situations in a typical Punjabi family: the way girls are always discriminated and treated inferior to boys….although our Dharma guides us on elevated values.

Our beloved Guru’s showed us equality and the essential role that a woman plays in everyday life; infact 

Guru Nanak Dev ji broke the shackles of women by admitting them into the sangat,society

Guru Angad Dev ji encouraged the education of all Sikhs, men and women

Guru Amar Das ji condemned the cruel custom of sati, female infanticide and advocated widow remarriage

Guru Hargobind Sahib ji respected women and declared, "women is the conscience of man". 

Guru Gobind Singh ji did not see any distinction between the Khalsa!

 This short film is titled : "Langar Seva in Sikhism." The film explores the concept of Langar ; the origin, procedure, and importance. These various subjects are summarized briefly through the use of title descriptions. 

In making this video, I have shared my love for seva; service. As a Sevadar at my local Gurdwara, I am proud to have expressed my passion through film making.

3rd place competition winner in 2011 

For many years Guru Nanak lived in Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab, India; the land of five rivers. Every morning in the amrit vela after bathing in the Kali Bein (Black River) he meditated under the same Jujube tree, which he himself planted. But one morning, he did not return. Guru Nanak disappeared into the water.

Many thought he drowned. Many feared he was gone, but after 3 days he emerged.

He had Japji Sahib, and as God spoke these sounds through him in absolute merger he gave humanity the greatest gift that through the application of these sounds we have the technique and opportunity to merge our finite consciousness with the infinite consciousness.

Guru Nanak wasn’t a preacher; he was a reacher, and he reached beyond The Beyond to bring back the sounds that contain all the knowledge that ever was, is, or will be on the planet Earth. He gave the thought of infinity to infinity to bring us to totality. Because it’s not "I am", it’s "I am, I am" and I salute thee, beyond The Beyond; Aades tisai aades. Even the limitlessness is limitless.

Every human being has the opportunity to reach self-exalted experience. We have to reach.

No, say no, when you have to say no, that is Nanak.

It was the year 1499. Guru Nanak was 30 years old. Over 500 years later we are still absorbing his attainment.

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About the Director:

Harimander Khalsa lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife Gurujas Khalsa.

Footage of the river was shot at Malibu Creek State Park with a Canon T2i, while the underwater footage was shot using a GoPro Hero. All skies were replaced in post-production (it was all shot during the day time in bright sunlight) and the energy beam was added using the visual effects software Nuke. Editing was done in Final Cut Pro 7.

www.harimander.com

Each Sikh, when he starts the miraculous path of Sikhi, is jolted by some exclusive turns of events that awakes him out of his slumber. Most of us would recall the time when we came to know about our magnanimous ancestors and their contributions to society building followed by bloody rampages done on them. Thus the feeling of being subjected to injustice sets in. The massacre, the holocaust, the pogrom of 1984, Delhi only adds to the yearning of a learning Sikh- to bring his people to justice and himself be a part of the revolution. But it isn’t meant for brash, insolent young Sikhs to do it- but the matured, full ripe, tender Sikhs who shall do something significant for the panth.

Being a little kid, the director wrote and sang this composition fancying himself as a kavishari. He was young, brash and overwhelmed with raw, enthusiastic vengeance. Over the years the audio was lost owing to the ‘kavishars’ ignorance and shift(s) in paradigm(s). Look at the serendipitous stroke of luck that the audio file was kept safe and sound with an admirer of the poetry sung therein. In no time it found a video to go by it and voila! Here is it! Videoing and editing skills were never a part of my repertoire, well, nor was poetry- this video comes as an attempt anyhow to probably blaze a trail which was never meant to illuminate in the first place. But hey, what could be more illuminating for you than Gurparsad (lord’s own will)? The "director" says- Get the message of the video, and stay in touch (with gurparsad)!

Waheguruu jee ka khalsa Waheguruu jee ki fateh!

 The do’s and don’t's of how to behave at the Gurdwara.