Posted by jp in “Dad, no one is going to stop for us, because you look like a terrorist.” – Ranjit Singh
“Rarely does a film garner unanimous consensus among our jury – “American Made” was one gem that did.” — Monika Moreno, director, Angelus Student Film Festival
American Made
We are proud to present the second film of the Windrider Summer Series — “American Made” by Sharat Raju. A courageous film following the 9/11 tragedy, this poignant story of a stranded Sikh American family has captured the attention of film critics worldwide. Among the 17 honors garnered at some 40 festivals:
• Angelus Film Festival Excellence in Filmmaking Award and Grand Jury Prize
• Tribeca Film Festival Student Visionary Award
• San Diego Film Festival Best Short Film
• British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Sciences (Los Angeles) Excellence in Short Filmmaking Award.
Raju was with us at our very first Windrider Forum, back in 2005 at the Sundance Film Festival. He and his film, “American Made,” served as the perfect “opening act” for 5+ years of interacting with incredible films and filmmakers at Windrider Forums worldwide.
Filmmaker, Sharat Raju
Filmmaker Biography:
A self-described descendent of poets and artists, Raju was raised in a family and culture with a rich tradition of storytelling, and has earned a reputation for creating unique films that explore the intersections of race, identity, spirituality and violence. His first two films confronted divisions in post-9/11 America through accessible characters and personal stories.
Raju graduated in 2003 from the American Film Institute (AFI) with a master’s degree in directing. “American Made,” his thesis project, earned AFI’s top two awards before garnering a slew of others at festivals around the world. “American Made” is being broadcast on the PBS program Independent Lens through 2010.
Although “American Made” was Raju’s first outing as a director (he also wrote the script), he managed to pack into 25 minutes more thought-provoking ideas and conflicts than you’ll find in many full-length feature films.
A Quick Summary:
“American Made” is exquisite filmmaking, and tells the story of a Sikh American family stranded in the middle of an empty highway. Anant Singh (Bernard White) is a conventional, turban-wearing Sikh, proud of his heritage, taking his family on a trip to the Grand Canyon in hopes of bringing them closer together. His two sons, Jagdesh (Kal Penn) and Ranjit (Te’Amir Sweeney) are the antithesis of their father: Neither wears a turban, and each seems aloof from his cultural background. Jagdesh goes by the name Paul at work because that’s his favorite Beatle; Ranjit, the younger brother, sees his father’s turban as a boundary that prevents his family from being accepted as Americans. The boys’ mother Nageena (Sakina Jaffrey) is displeased with her husband’s decision to go to the Grand Canyon in the first place. Jagdesh will soon be moving to New York, and a family vacation is not her idea of quality time. When their SUV breaks down on a remote desert highway, cars pass by without so much as slowing down as Anant waves his arms in a futile attempt to get help. The audience is quickly, and deeply, drawn into the frustration, humiliation and anguish of the family’s plight.
We are honored to screen this great film, and to profile this exciting filmmaker. Enjoy!
The Filmmakers
Read the filmmaker Q&A
Meet the cast
Source: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/americanmade/film.html
