There's no religious ideology or agenda that we have at Sikhlens; we only have creative concerns,’’ says California-based technocrat, Bicky Singh, who is the founder of Sikhlens, an organisation that seeks to provide a platform to share Sikh heritage, culture and talent from across the world.
As Singh prepares for Sikh Art, Book and Film Festival 2011, the third edition of the annual event, which kicks off on November 18, he recalls how it all began. It was 15 years ago that Singh, an art collector by hobby, decided to get up, close and personal with Sikh history and culture by launching a Sikhpoint.com calendar project in order to get Sikh art to the mainstream.
Inspired by the project’s success and the resounding response of those who wanted to associate with the idea, Singh started Sikhlens three years ago. Sikhlens is run by a group of dedicated volunteers who have been involved with arts and films within the Sikh diaspora in Southern California for more than 10 years now. The three-day festival is designed to put together creative works such as films, literature, music, art, social media and fashion. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the Sikh culture and values,’’ explains Singh.
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This year’s edition opens with a glitzy gala night where filmmakers and artists would be honoured and industry trendsetters would talk about their works and challenges. We will screen some short films and the host for the evening will be Guru Singh, from the hit TV show Outsourced. The festival will also provide a chance to meet the world-famous marathoner, Fauja Singh, along with his biographer, Khushwant Singh,’’ says Singh, who hopes to design the evening like a “mini Oscar night”, with people dressed in their traditional best.
Day two will see The Royal Falcon Play, a theatre performance that will include book-reading sessions by authors of children’s books. The spotlight is on a segment called Creative Sikhs, dedicated to showcasing famous Sikhs who have done well in the fields of music, fashion and entertainment. You will be able to hear their stories, watch their craft and ask them questions about their struggles and successes, he says.
Also introducing is an interactive segment on filmmaking, he says. A full-length feature film segment that aligns with the fesitval’s mission to promote filmmakers and films that promote the values of Sikhism.
SikhLens is proud to announce the incredible talent who will be
participating in a two-part Creative Sikhs segment at the 2011 Sikh Arts and Film Festival held
from November 18 - 20, 2011, at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and
Media Arts. After the overwhelming success of last year’s Creative Sikhs panel,
this year there will be two panels of inspiring artists, musicians, actors,
athletes, performers and authors - one on Saturday, November 19th and one on
Sunday, November 20th.
These
panels will proudly feature:
Mandeep Sethi,
an LA-native rap artist who has performed alongside and shared the stage with
musical luminaries such as Ziggy Marley, Afrika Bambaataa, and Dilated Peoples.
Fauja Singh, a British Centarian marathon runner who has successfully
completed numerous marathons and has set many world records. Mr. Singh has been
sponsored by Adidas and has been featured alongside celebrities like David
Beckham.
Gurmeet K. Sodhi, a television host, producer and one of the youngest South
Asian females to launch her own LIVE talk show - GS with GS.
Jus Reign, a
talented YouTube comedian from Canada who is known for his hilarious videos
that receive hundreds of thousands of views.
and, Agam Darshi, a well-established Hollywood
actress who is currently working as a series lead in the hit sci-fi drama,
Sanctuary.
Other extraordinary talent to be featured on the
Creative Sikhs panels include Kamaljeet Ajimal, Raginder “Violinder”
Momi, CJ Virdi, Rupi Cheema Tut, Jas Ahluwalia, and Tej Gill.
For a complete list of all of inspiring talent who
will be presented in the two-part Creative Sikhs segment, and to buy tickets
for the panels, please visit www.sikhlens.com.
The three-day festival will be held at the Dodge School of Film, Chapman University, California.
Please contact us regarding tickets, content, and schedules. Seating is limited, so be sure to get your tickets today!
For more info, log on to www.sikhlens.com