This year's SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival gave voice to the concerns of Sikh women.
It is important that we have more Sikh media in general, but it is most important that we highlight Sikh women’s stories and voices.
"If a man falls, an individual has fallen. If a woman falls, the whole generation has fallen."
We do not know what our future is, but its prosperity depends upon the strength of women. This year, many dreams came true as many great quality films about Sikh women were submitted and watched by thousands.
It is your financial support which gives a voice in media to our youth by making this Film Festival possible. Please donate today so Sikh youth can continue to have this world-wide platform to create and share their films.
Watch This Short Inspiring Video
Her love holds us all.
Her dignity must be protected.
This short inspirational video is a highlight of the
messages from this year's onKAUR films.
One filmmaker, Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa, from Perth Australia submitted two films. These heart opening films are ‘A Testimony on Courage’, and ‘Be Brave’.
Sukhjit talked about her goal of having a career in mainstream film and her experience with the onKAUR film festival. Here's what she said:
“As a Sikh woman I think this particular career path will be a challenging one but I guess that just makes me more determined to achieve it. Currently, in the Sikh community, there are close to no female role models in Hollywood who have still kept their identity. I believe Sikh adolescents need somebody to show them you can still follow your dreams living in the ‘Western’ world AND stay true to your identity. The response I received from submitting my films gave me goose bumps! Messages from all over the world telling ME, little ol’ Sukhjit from Perth, that I had inspired them, brought them closer to Sikhi and helped them to embrace being a Kaur, to keep their hair, and most importantly: to Be Brave. ”
This year we had 39 films submitted, nine of them from women directors and all expressing the voices and identity of women. Films were submitted from India, U.K., Canada, Australia and U.S.A. Thousands of people spent hundreds of thousands of hours watching this year's films online.
Increasingly, Sikhs are becoming more well known, better respected and integrated into mainstream media. Because of SikhNet supporters like you, Sukhjit and others like her can test their wings as professionals in the film industry. You create a tremendous impact on the future by donating to SikhNet.
Thank you Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa! Thank you as well to all the filmmakers who blessed us with such good quality Sikh media this year. Keep up the good work everyone! We all hope to see more good films next year. May the Sikh face grow and shine in this world. And a BIG THANK YOU to all our donors who make the SikhNet Youth Online Film Festival possible.