AHLUWALIA+ABBASI: Unplugged on the Upper East Side

**Nominated for a 2013 AMPIA Award for Best Cross-Platform & Transmedia Production**

SYNOPSIS

Kiran Ahluwalia, a JUNO-award winning ghazal singer, lives, loves and rehearses with her husband-jazz guitarist, Rez Abbasi, in their Upper East Side apartment.

Kiran and filmmaker Punam Kumar Gill were part an exciting Twitter chatt on March 27th.

WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER

Executive Producers: Manjot & Nimit AGGARWAL, Sam & Rick ANAND, Netasha & Harjit BASRA, Sara BATEMAN, Kyrsten BLAIR, Karen BROTHERS, Alex BRUTON, Japant BRAR & Raj CHAHAL, Aman & George CHAHAL, Renu & Shamir CHANDARANA, Karen & Raj CHEEMA, Rinku & Paul DHALIWAL, Sharni & Manjeet DHILLON, Lynn FREEBURY, Tannis & Steve GAFFNEY, Pritha & Hardip KALAR, Saifa & Jerry KOONAR, Anu & Manish KUMAR, Elan LAMONTAGNE, Victoria LI, Ken LIMA-COEHLO, Ian McLENNAN, Renu & Vinod MAHAJAN, Toby MALLOY, Mohak MATHUR, Joan & Eugene MILES, Claire CUMMINGS & Evan OSENTON, Celeste & Bill PETERS, Lorelei PIOTTO, Roth&Ramberg PHOTOGRAPHY, Walter SCHWAGER, Devina & Raj SHARMA, Rupi & Ravi SOOD, Bava WADHWA

the 5q interview with amrita singh

5 questions, 5 minutes. Jewelry designer, Amrita Singh, lets us into her Soho studio during New York Fashion Week. This is the second installment of THE 5Q INTERVIEW, a series of video portraits with artists and luminaries.

Her designs have been featured in Vogue, Elle, O Magazine, and worn by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Sophia Vergara and Anne Hathaway. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Amrita came up through the ranks at fashion houses like Oscar de la Renta and Cartier. 

The next film in the 5Q Series features Juno-winning singer/songwriter, Kiran Ahluwalia. The first featured acclaimed chef, Vikram Vij.

WATCH NOW

UNMENTIONABLES: CONFESSIONS FROM A BRA BOUTIQUE

(In development)

SYNOPSIS

This quirky one-hour documentary will capture a number of intermingling women’s stories through the narrative device of a bustling bra boutique. 

Story Consultant: Christina Willings 

Screenwriting & Development made possible with support from: Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts

THE 5Q INTERVIEW WITH VIKRAM VIJ

SYNOPSIS

The first in a series of short video portraits with artists and creative professionals, THE 5Q INTERVIEW WITH VIKRAM VIJ (8 mins., 2011) is more of a journey into the acclaimed chef's philosophical bearings than a traditional interview about food and wine.  WATCH IT NOW.

With references to Mahatma Gandhi, cultural identity, sexual orientation and atheism, the portrait captures the chef's essence and life outlook in under 10 minutes and in the confines of 5 questions.

YOUNG MASTERS

YOUNG MASTERS (documentary, 43 mins., 2010) follows the intense journey of three Canadian skill champions who train and compete for the gold medal at the 40^th WorldSkills Competition.  WATCH THE TRAILER

SCREENINGS

In honor of Canada winning the bid to host the 2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, the documentary YOUNG MASTERS was produced in partnership with Skills Canada, as a legacy item for this monumental event, the largest since the 1988 Winter Olympics.

The film has been distributed to over 500 schools throughout Alberta, and was shown at The Premier's Luncheon, Opening Ceremonies, and the WorldSkills One-Year Legacy Event in 2010.

SYNOPSIS

Although destined for the podium as masters in their respective trades of autobody repair, painting, and IT, the 3 competitors in YOUNG MASTERS reveal how they are often treated like second-class citizens because of their vocation.  In a society that values the head over the hands, university over college, and white collar over blue, can these young people also prove to be masters of their own futures?

Cast: Devon DeBoer, Matt Chadder, Tiffany Vandermey

Camera: Brian Batisa, Noel Begin, Lisa Fryklund, Roger Vernon, Craig Wrobleski
Editor: Brian Batista, Punam Kumar Gill
SAIT Film & Video student-interns: Clayton Budd, Karen Brothers, Krista Powell, Jaime Wensley
Music: Mike Shields
Writer, Producer, Director: Punam Kumar Gill

Made possible with support from: EMMEDIA Open Access Scholarship, Alberta Foundation for the Arts

LETTERBOX

In the words of Solomon Nagler, LETTERBOX is "a folksy, kodachrome inspired Super8 portrait of a family ritual..." (Super8, 5mins., 2008)

AWARDS

WINNER, Audience Favorite Award, 17th Annual CSIF Film Festival

Finalist, MING Short Film Festival

SYNOPSIS

My good friend, Servejit Massey, like many second-generation immigrants, once talked to me about trying to keep Indian traditions alive with her 3 Canadian-born daughters. LETTERBOX is inspired by that conversation. It portrays the annual tradition she and her family invent to celebrate Diwali in a meaningful and fun way. LETTERBOX was made on real celluloid, Super8 format, cut and spliced by the filmmaker's own hands.  

Cast: Alex, Servejit, Sasha, Sajana, and Amita Massey
Music: Kiran Ahluwalia
Writer, Producer, Director, Editor: Punam Kumar Gill

Made possible with support from: Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers

THE LESSON

THE LESSON is the true story of one immigrant's contribution, one student at a time. (Docu-Drama, 12 mins., Punjabi with English subtitles, 2007). WATCH IT NOW.

AWARDS

WINNER, Ming Short Film Festival

Finalist, "Best Short Film", Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association

Finalist, Radio-Canada International Migrations Competition

SCREENINGS

Official Selection: Filmi South Asian Film Festival (Toronto), Montreal World Film Festival, Edmonton International Film Festival, Calgary International Film Festival, inaugural International Video Festival of Kerala, India, ATN Television. 

Special Event Screenings: Harbourfront Festival (Canada Day) in Toronto, the Independent Media Arts Alliance General Meeting, Asian Heritage Month, Glenbow Museum Asian Artist Showcase, Alberta Foundation for the Arts ARTS DAY, School Tour throughout Calgary.

SYNOPSIS

Punam Kumar Gill's debut film, THE LESSON is a very personal one. It is of her father, Ramesh Kumar (1944-2009).

THE LESSON is portraiture of a simple man and his monk-like lifestyle. The film also reveals how Ramesh started a driving school in Mill Woods, a South Asian neighborhood in Edmonton, and helped build his community by teaching new immigrants how to drive. Over the 25 years that he owned the driving school, he taught over 5000 students.

Throughout 2007 and 2008, THE LESSON received many recognitions and festival invitations.  Ramesh Kumar passed away one year later.

Cast: Ramesh Kumar, Kulmeet Sangha, Geeta Tandon

Original Music: Dr. Harjot Singh Gill, Mike Shields
Writer, Producer, Director: Punam Kumar Gill

Made possible with support from: Alberta Foundation for the Arts, EMMEDIAFirst-time filmmakers Program, and private funder, Mr. Joga Punian