How did you like Musafer? Please post your comments here!
Wie fanden Sie Musafer? Bitte teilen Sie uns Ihre Eindrücke mit!
I saw your movie. Its very moving and very well made!! Touches upon those sensitive issues and handles them very subtly and raises the important questions. Some parts were very intense and left me feeling very agitated (the man who had get 1 day visas for 2 continuous years). Thanks for sharing with me. I will definitely think of the various possibilities for it to reach the right people, who might have ideas of any possible public screenings. Will keep you informed if something comes up.
With warm regards
Pragya
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, November 13, 2009
German Premiere - Deutschlandpremiere in Frankfurt am Main
Die Filmpremiere am 10.11.2009 im Haus am Dom in Frankfurt am Main endete mit einigen Überraschungen. Es kamen weit mehr Zuschauer als erwartet. Über 110 Gäste drängten am Dienstagabend in den Giebelsaal. Neue Stuhlreihen mussten angebaut werden. Wäre Michael Nijhawan anwesend gewesen, so hätten auch er erleben können, dass es sich gelohnt hat, über fünf Jahre geduldig an dem Film zu arbeiten.
Unter den Zuschauern waren nicht nur Neugierige, Freunde, (frühere) Arbeitskollegen und Mitglieder des Rates der Religionen, sondern überraschenderweise auch ein Lehrer und ein Klassenkamerad von Khushwant Singh. Auch zahlreiche Sikhs aus Frankfurt und Heidelberg, darunter Jugendliche mit ihren Eltern ließen sich die Premiere nicht entgehen.Die rege Diskussion nach dem Film wurde in einer sehr angenehmen sowie offenen Art und Weise von dem Ethnologen Dr. Uwe Kievelitz moderiert. Die spontanen Reaktionen nach der Premiere waren sehr positiv. Vor allem wurde die hohe Authentizität durch die überzeugend dargestellte Nähe zu den Protagonisten hervorgehoben. Das Spektrum der Fragen und Kommentare war insgesamt sehr breit:
"Der Film hat mich, auch wenn es pathetisch klingen mag, zum Teil zu tränen gerührt. Wie war das mit den Emotionen beim drehen?" "Ich habe mich gefühlt, als wäre ich mit einem Fallschirm in eine andere Welt abgeworfen wurden." "Wie hat der Film Sie als Filmemacher verändert?"
"Dass Musik grenzenlos wirkt, hat der Film eindrücklich gezeigt."Entsprechend stieß die Filmmusik - eingefangen im Album "Keep on Walking" - auf großes Interesse. Auch die Film DVD, die bei der Premiere noch nicht verfügbar war, stand hoch im Kurs. Fast die Hälfte der Zuschauer kreuzte in der Gästeliste bei der Rubrik "Haben Sie Interesse an der Film DVD?" das Ja-Feld an. Insgesamt war es ein überwältigender und sehr besonderer Abend, der einen schönen Ausklang in einem nahe gelegenen Café fand. Dort wurde noch eifrig über Musafer und seine Entstehungsgeschichte diskutiert.
Überraschung die Letzte: Die renommierte Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) berichtete in einem eigenen Artikel zum Film. Unter der Überschrift "Tradition und Moderne - Khushwant Singh und sein Sikh-Film Musafer" wurde nicht nur über den Film, sondern auch über die Filmemacher, die Sikh-Religion und Sikhs in Deutschland berichtet.
Wir bedanken uns ganz herzlich bei allen Besucher und engagierten Helfern, die diesen wunderschönen und erfolgreichen Abend möglich gemacht haben. Insbesondere danken wir: Herrn Prof. Valentin und seinen Kollegen vom Haus am Dom. Sie alle waren tolle Gastgeber. Herrn Dr. Kievelitz, der sich spontan zur Moderation bereit erklärte. Alex möchten wir danke sagen dafür, dass er trotz Anreise aus Syrien die Kasse geschmissen hat. Sie klingelte ganz schön. Ganz wie in alten Zeiten.
Unter den Zuschauern waren nicht nur Neugierige, Freunde, (frühere) Arbeitskollegen und Mitglieder des Rates der Religionen, sondern überraschenderweise auch ein Lehrer und ein Klassenkamerad von Khushwant Singh. Auch zahlreiche Sikhs aus Frankfurt und Heidelberg, darunter Jugendliche mit ihren Eltern ließen sich die Premiere nicht entgehen.Die rege Diskussion nach dem Film wurde in einer sehr angenehmen sowie offenen Art und Weise von dem Ethnologen Dr. Uwe Kievelitz moderiert. Die spontanen Reaktionen nach der Premiere waren sehr positiv. Vor allem wurde die hohe Authentizität durch die überzeugend dargestellte Nähe zu den Protagonisten hervorgehoben. Das Spektrum der Fragen und Kommentare war insgesamt sehr breit:
"Der Film hat mich, auch wenn es pathetisch klingen mag, zum Teil zu tränen gerührt. Wie war das mit den Emotionen beim drehen?" "Ich habe mich gefühlt, als wäre ich mit einem Fallschirm in eine andere Welt abgeworfen wurden." "Wie hat der Film Sie als Filmemacher verändert?"
"Dass Musik grenzenlos wirkt, hat der Film eindrücklich gezeigt."Entsprechend stieß die Filmmusik - eingefangen im Album "Keep on Walking" - auf großes Interesse. Auch die Film DVD, die bei der Premiere noch nicht verfügbar war, stand hoch im Kurs. Fast die Hälfte der Zuschauer kreuzte in der Gästeliste bei der Rubrik "Haben Sie Interesse an der Film DVD?" das Ja-Feld an. Insgesamt war es ein überwältigender und sehr besonderer Abend, der einen schönen Ausklang in einem nahe gelegenen Café fand. Dort wurde noch eifrig über Musafer und seine Entstehungsgeschichte diskutiert.
Überraschung die Letzte: Die renommierte Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) berichtete in einem eigenen Artikel zum Film. Unter der Überschrift "Tradition und Moderne - Khushwant Singh und sein Sikh-Film Musafer" wurde nicht nur über den Film, sondern auch über die Filmemacher, die Sikh-Religion und Sikhs in Deutschland berichtet.Wir bedanken uns ganz herzlich bei allen Besucher und engagierten Helfern, die diesen wunderschönen und erfolgreichen Abend möglich gemacht haben. Insbesondere danken wir: Herrn Prof. Valentin und seinen Kollegen vom Haus am Dom. Sie alle waren tolle Gastgeber. Herrn Dr. Kievelitz, der sich spontan zur Moderation bereit erklärte. Alex möchten wir danke sagen dafür, dass er trotz Anreise aus Syrien die Kasse geschmissen hat. Sie klingelte ganz schön. Ganz wie in alten Zeiten.
Background Information
Musafer was shot in intermitted phases, in-between 2003 and February 2010. The project originated in Frankfurt/Main, where we both have been engaged in research and community-oriented work for several years now. Following our protagonists’ as well as our own trajectories, the film-settings then got expanded to include shots in Cologne, Paris, Southall/London, San Francisco/Bay Area, and Delhi.
We did not begin this project as professional documentary filmmakers. This project emerged gradually as we went along, as we got slowly accustomed to the idea of, indeed, producing a documentary. The film is shot with small digital cameras producing an overall good picture and audio quality, though probably not that of the latest professional standards.
We were strongly encouraged and motivated to shoot this film by many of those we encountered doing research and community work: strangers who became friends, friends who continued to share some of their perspectives on life with us.
Our overall aim has been to portray aspects of everyday Sikh diasporic life that has been less marked by the grand scale of identity politics, though some of that is certainly included in the film. So, our goals have been much more modest in finding ways to account for the everydayness of Sikh diasporic life, and likely not just Sikh diasporic life, but with a particular angle on questions that relate matters of “Sikhi” or the Sikh way of living with the everyday social and political realities on the ground. Also, we have been more interested in considering issues of a younger generation of ‘musafers/sojourners’ without wanting to attribute them labels such as “second generation migrant,” “asylum seeker,” “economic migrant” or whatever other label circulates in the public.
Feedback
We would be interested to get your feedback, whether you liked the film or not, whether you are yourself a Sikh or any other sojourner of a younger or older generation.
Filmmakers
Michael Nijhawan is Associate Professor in Sociology at York University, Toronto. He has worked and written extensively on Sikh and Panjabi society and culture, both in South Asia and the diasporic context. His recent books include: Dhadi Darbar: Religion, Violence and the Performance of Sikh History (Oxford University Press, 2006) and Shared Idioms, Sacred Symbols, and the Articulation of Identities in South Asia, co-edited with K. Pemberton (Routledge, 2009).
Khushwant Singh is working in the field of international cooperation. He has studied Social Anthropology and did research in Panjab and Germany. Khushwant is actively involved in inter-religious dialogue as a member of the Council of Religions in Frankfurt. He teaches Sikhi to youngsters.
Together
Brought up in Germany, both filmmakers share a personal and academic commitment to Sikhi, Punjabi society and culture. Khushwant who was born in Panjab came to Germany with his family at young age. He has been deeply committed to Sikhi since his teenage years. He moderated a Sikhi radio show in London. Michael, German-born, has stayed several years in India, travelling, studying and doing research. Both filmmakers, who came to know each other at Heidelberg University, have worked together in academic collaborations in India and Germany. It is their first documentary film.
Music
Indi Kaur is a vocalist, songwriter and composer, who is featured in this film and kindly allowed us to use some of her artistic work. On her website she writes about herself: “Her attachment to voice and melody is reflected in her pursuit for traditional as well as experimental approaches to sonic art forms which are reflected in her projects.” She has released two albums in the U.K and Maylasia: “Keep on Walking” (2005), which features in Musafer, along with “Imajind” that was released in 2006. There are several more recent productions that you can find on the internet.
Webiste: www.indikaur.com
In the film you can also see scenes from the Paris rehearsals, when Indi shared the stage in summer 2007 with award winning French singer Camille, Julia Sarr, Seb Martel and her producer/collaborator Majiker.
Webiste: www.myspace.com/majiker, www.myspace.com/camilleofficial, www.myspace.com/juliasarr
Delhi Sultanate
A short piece in the film is performed by Delhi Sultanate (featuring Dhruv). Delhi Sultanate, alias Taru Dalmia is a reggae and hip hop artist as well as a performance poet and scholar based in New Delhi India. He writes about himself that “he has performed at various poetry forums and live shows, representing the lyrical and cultural tradition of reggae dancehall and hip hop in India. In 2005 Taru opened the Kitab literature fest in Delhi. The following year he performed at the British Council alongside Guyanese born London poet Malika Booker. He is known to devastate audiences and unsuspecting media representatives with raw reality lyrics that take a hard look at life in Delhi and India at large. Delhi Sultanate's music ranges from straight forward dancehall and hip hop tunes to dubstep, drum and bass and more experimental electronic and acoustic music.”
Website: www.myspace.com/delhisultanate
A Word of Acknowledgment
We are grateful to our editor Celeste Diamos, who devoted much time and patience toward the completion of this project. We also would like to thank everybody who participated in the film and to all of those friends and family members who supported us throughout the journey. Thanks so much to all of you.
Musafer has received generous support by the following research grants: Faculty of Arts Research, York University, Toronto Teaching Development Grants, York University, Toronto Social Science and Humanities Research Council Canada In its initial stages we have also received technical and research support by the German Research Council (SFB 619).
We did not begin this project as professional documentary filmmakers. This project emerged gradually as we went along, as we got slowly accustomed to the idea of, indeed, producing a documentary. The film is shot with small digital cameras producing an overall good picture and audio quality, though probably not that of the latest professional standards.
We were strongly encouraged and motivated to shoot this film by many of those we encountered doing research and community work: strangers who became friends, friends who continued to share some of their perspectives on life with us.
Our overall aim has been to portray aspects of everyday Sikh diasporic life that has been less marked by the grand scale of identity politics, though some of that is certainly included in the film. So, our goals have been much more modest in finding ways to account for the everydayness of Sikh diasporic life, and likely not just Sikh diasporic life, but with a particular angle on questions that relate matters of “Sikhi” or the Sikh way of living with the everyday social and political realities on the ground. Also, we have been more interested in considering issues of a younger generation of ‘musafers/sojourners’ without wanting to attribute them labels such as “second generation migrant,” “asylum seeker,” “economic migrant” or whatever other label circulates in the public.
Feedback
We would be interested to get your feedback, whether you liked the film or not, whether you are yourself a Sikh or any other sojourner of a younger or older generation.
Filmmakers
Michael Nijhawan is Associate Professor in Sociology at York University, Toronto. He has worked and written extensively on Sikh and Panjabi society and culture, both in South Asia and the diasporic context. His recent books include: Dhadi Darbar: Religion, Violence and the Performance of Sikh History (Oxford University Press, 2006) and Shared Idioms, Sacred Symbols, and the Articulation of Identities in South Asia, co-edited with K. Pemberton (Routledge, 2009).
Khushwant Singh is working in the field of international cooperation. He has studied Social Anthropology and did research in Panjab and Germany. Khushwant is actively involved in inter-religious dialogue as a member of the Council of Religions in Frankfurt. He teaches Sikhi to youngsters.
Together
Brought up in Germany, both filmmakers share a personal and academic commitment to Sikhi, Punjabi society and culture. Khushwant who was born in Panjab came to Germany with his family at young age. He has been deeply committed to Sikhi since his teenage years. He moderated a Sikhi radio show in London. Michael, German-born, has stayed several years in India, travelling, studying and doing research. Both filmmakers, who came to know each other at Heidelberg University, have worked together in academic collaborations in India and Germany. It is their first documentary film.
Music
Indi Kaur is a vocalist, songwriter and composer, who is featured in this film and kindly allowed us to use some of her artistic work. On her website she writes about herself: “Her attachment to voice and melody is reflected in her pursuit for traditional as well as experimental approaches to sonic art forms which are reflected in her projects.” She has released two albums in the U.K and Maylasia: “Keep on Walking” (2005), which features in Musafer, along with “Imajind” that was released in 2006. There are several more recent productions that you can find on the internet.
Webiste: www.indikaur.com
In the film you can also see scenes from the Paris rehearsals, when Indi shared the stage in summer 2007 with award winning French singer Camille, Julia Sarr, Seb Martel and her producer/collaborator Majiker.
Webiste: www.myspace.com/majiker, www.myspace.com/camilleofficial, www.myspace.com/juliasarr
Delhi Sultanate
A short piece in the film is performed by Delhi Sultanate (featuring Dhruv). Delhi Sultanate, alias Taru Dalmia is a reggae and hip hop artist as well as a performance poet and scholar based in New Delhi India. He writes about himself that “he has performed at various poetry forums and live shows, representing the lyrical and cultural tradition of reggae dancehall and hip hop in India. In 2005 Taru opened the Kitab literature fest in Delhi. The following year he performed at the British Council alongside Guyanese born London poet Malika Booker. He is known to devastate audiences and unsuspecting media representatives with raw reality lyrics that take a hard look at life in Delhi and India at large. Delhi Sultanate's music ranges from straight forward dancehall and hip hop tunes to dubstep, drum and bass and more experimental electronic and acoustic music.”
Website: www.myspace.com/delhisultanate
A Word of Acknowledgment
We are grateful to our editor Celeste Diamos, who devoted much time and patience toward the completion of this project. We also would like to thank everybody who participated in the film and to all of those friends and family members who supported us throughout the journey. Thanks so much to all of you.
Musafer has received generous support by the following research grants: Faculty of Arts Research, York University, Toronto Teaching Development Grants, York University, Toronto Social Science and Humanities Research Council Canada In its initial stages we have also received technical and research support by the German Research Council (SFB 619).
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Prof's documentary chosen as gala opener of Sikh film festival
What is the meaning of Sikhi for today’s diasporic Sikh youth around the world? That’s the topic York sociology Professor Michael Nijhawan grappled with in his documentary film Musafer – Sikhi is Travelling, the gala screening at the seventh annual Spinning Wheel Film Festival opening this Friday.
It is also the world premiere of the film, which was shot in Frankfurt, Paris, London, Delhi and San Francisco between 2003 and 2009. Musafer will open on Sept. 25 at the Royal Ontario Museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, 100 Queen’s Park in Toronto. The 2009 Spinning Wheel Film Festival, a celebration of film by or about Sikhs, runs from Sept. 25 to 27. Parminder Singh, the voice of CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" regular season Punjabi broadcasts, will MC the gala evening.
Right (Photo not visible): Sikhs protesting the French legislation banning religious symbols in public schools in January 2004, from the film Musafer
“It’s a film that we really made for the broad Sikh diaspora. So a film festival devoting itself to that end is a good venue for it,” says Nijhawan, adding that it's also a film an external audience can get something from. He is planning to show the film at York in the near future, as well as in communities and film festivals around the world. ...
Nijhawan, the new associate director of the York Centre for Asian Research, started to film some of the Sikh religious festivals and spoken-word artists as part of his research, and was surprised by the issues repeatedly raised in conversations with the Sikh diaspora. “We thought we needed to get some of this information out,” he says.
Left (Photo not visible): London-based artist Indi Kaur in an interview in Musafer
After the filmmakers shot footage of a demonstration in France against that country’s banning of religious symbols in schools, the project really took on a dynamic of its own, says Nijhawan. Shortly after, they met the film’s main protagonist, Indi Kaur, who also provides the film’s music, in London. Meeting Kaur was key to developing the artistic side of the film’s story.
“Many of the Sikh diaspora in mainland Europe and Germany feel like they are in social and legal limbo,” says Nijhawan. “A large majority of them went through the asylum law regulations in Germany and most had their cases dismissed, and their status became unsure. They can’t get permission to work and they can’t bring in their families, however, the courts are unlikely to deport them.” Some of that is changing, but there is still so little known about Sikhs in some of the European countries where they now find themselves.
Emphasis in the 70-minute film is given to artistic expressions of Sikh youth and to in-depth conversations about the meaning of Sikhi during times of political upheaval and social uncertainty. The film does not attempt to portray the Sikh tradition in its totality, but instead sheds a light on the inner and outer journeys of particular individuals, their homing desires, as well as their boundary-crossing endeavours.
“We hope it will strike a chord,” says Nijhawan.
As the filmmakers did not initially set out to film a documentary, Musafer was shot in intermittent phases over a span of six years, and followed the protagonists’ as well as the filmmakers' own trajectories.
Right (Photo not visible): Gurwinder Singh, one of the protagonists in Musafer, with his child
The overall aim was to portray aspects of everyday Sikh diasporic lives that had been less marked by the grand scale of identity politics – though some of that is included in the film – with a particular angle on questions relating to matters of Sikhi or the Sikh way of living with the everyday social and political realities on the ground.
Nijhawan and Singh were also interested in issues of importance to a younger generation of “musafers/sojourners” without attributing labels, such as “second generation migrant”, “asylum seeker” or “economic migrant”.
Both filmmakers were raised in Germany and share a personal and academic commitment to Sikhi and Punjabi society and culture. Nijhawan has worked and written extensively on Sikh and Punjabi society and culture, both in South Asia and the diasporic context. He is the author of Dhadi Darbar: Religion, Violence and the Performance of Sikh History (Oxford University Press, 2006) and co-editor of Shared Idioms, Sacred Symbols, and the Articulation of Identities in South Asia (Routledge, 2008).
Left (Photo not visible): Akal Singh (centre) practising kirtan in San Francisco, from the film Musafer
Nijhawan’s research at York focuses primarily on violence and suffering and its translatability in cultural practices. He is also interested in transnational religion, immigration and identity formation.
Some of the film's funding came through York’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and teaching development grants, as well as the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada and, in its initial stages, the German Research Foundation.
The Spinning Wheel Film Festival was founded in 2003 to showcase films that address issues of interest or concern to Sikhs around the world, to present the Sikh world view and to encourage the production of high-quality films. The festival is open to Sikh and non-Sikh filmmakers and films from around the globe.
Source
It is also the world premiere of the film, which was shot in Frankfurt, Paris, London, Delhi and San Francisco between 2003 and 2009. Musafer will open on Sept. 25 at the Royal Ontario Museum’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, 100 Queen’s Park in Toronto. The 2009 Spinning Wheel Film Festival, a celebration of film by or about Sikhs, runs from Sept. 25 to 27. Parminder Singh, the voice of CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" regular season Punjabi broadcasts, will MC the gala evening.
Right (Photo not visible): Sikhs protesting the French legislation banning religious symbols in public schools in January 2004, from the film Musafer
“It’s a film that we really made for the broad Sikh diaspora. So a film festival devoting itself to that end is a good venue for it,” says Nijhawan, adding that it's also a film an external audience can get something from. He is planning to show the film at York in the near future, as well as in communities and film festivals around the world. ...
Nijhawan, the new associate director of the York Centre for Asian Research, started to film some of the Sikh religious festivals and spoken-word artists as part of his research, and was surprised by the issues repeatedly raised in conversations with the Sikh diaspora. “We thought we needed to get some of this information out,” he says.
Left (Photo not visible): London-based artist Indi Kaur in an interview in Musafer
After the filmmakers shot footage of a demonstration in France against that country’s banning of religious symbols in schools, the project really took on a dynamic of its own, says Nijhawan. Shortly after, they met the film’s main protagonist, Indi Kaur, who also provides the film’s music, in London. Meeting Kaur was key to developing the artistic side of the film’s story.
“Many of the Sikh diaspora in mainland Europe and Germany feel like they are in social and legal limbo,” says Nijhawan. “A large majority of them went through the asylum law regulations in Germany and most had their cases dismissed, and their status became unsure. They can’t get permission to work and they can’t bring in their families, however, the courts are unlikely to deport them.” Some of that is changing, but there is still so little known about Sikhs in some of the European countries where they now find themselves.
Emphasis in the 70-minute film is given to artistic expressions of Sikh youth and to in-depth conversations about the meaning of Sikhi during times of political upheaval and social uncertainty. The film does not attempt to portray the Sikh tradition in its totality, but instead sheds a light on the inner and outer journeys of particular individuals, their homing desires, as well as their boundary-crossing endeavours.
“We hope it will strike a chord,” says Nijhawan.
As the filmmakers did not initially set out to film a documentary, Musafer was shot in intermittent phases over a span of six years, and followed the protagonists’ as well as the filmmakers' own trajectories.
Right (Photo not visible): Gurwinder Singh, one of the protagonists in Musafer, with his child
The overall aim was to portray aspects of everyday Sikh diasporic lives that had been less marked by the grand scale of identity politics – though some of that is included in the film – with a particular angle on questions relating to matters of Sikhi or the Sikh way of living with the everyday social and political realities on the ground.
Nijhawan and Singh were also interested in issues of importance to a younger generation of “musafers/sojourners” without attributing labels, such as “second generation migrant”, “asylum seeker” or “economic migrant”.
Both filmmakers were raised in Germany and share a personal and academic commitment to Sikhi and Punjabi society and culture. Nijhawan has worked and written extensively on Sikh and Punjabi society and culture, both in South Asia and the diasporic context. He is the author of Dhadi Darbar: Religion, Violence and the Performance of Sikh History (Oxford University Press, 2006) and co-editor of Shared Idioms, Sacred Symbols, and the Articulation of Identities in South Asia (Routledge, 2008).
Left (Photo not visible): Akal Singh (centre) practising kirtan in San Francisco, from the film Musafer
Nijhawan’s research at York focuses primarily on violence and suffering and its translatability in cultural practices. He is also interested in transnational religion, immigration and identity formation.
Some of the film's funding came through York’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and teaching development grants, as well as the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada and, in its initial stages, the German Research Foundation.
The Spinning Wheel Film Festival was founded in 2003 to showcase films that address issues of interest or concern to Sikhs around the world, to present the Sikh world view and to encourage the production of high-quality films. The festival is open to Sikh and non-Sikh filmmakers and films from around the globe.
Source
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