He recently got in touch to do an interview with me on my new projects, it was a great opportunity for me to bring awareness to the Decrepit, my latest film project.

As always, my humble and sincerest thanks goes out to Dan for his continued support.

You can find the full article here.

After Peace Arch News released this story, another supporter, Wawmeesh Hamilton of Alberni Valley News got in touch to pick up the story and talk about future projects, one of which I hope to do in my hometown of Port Alberni.

You can read that full article here.

Shout outs to Dan and Wawmeesh for the great articles.

Best,

mani

originally posted here;
http://www.warriorsreligion.com/media/peacearchandalbernivalleynewssupport 

photograph of Mani Amar::photographer::Dan Ferguson::2012

My post today is unfortunately about a negative experience with a South Asian event than about a positive one. Experiences such as these have become all too typical.

I will refrain from painting the entire South Asian Community with a broad brush, as these things happen in all communities, it has just been unfortunate that I have had the same experience multiple times in the same community.

Early in April, I was contacted by, Sandy Grewal, executive team member and Director of Films & Programming of the Punjabi International Film Festival (PIFF).

Ms. Grewal had heard about my latest feature, Footsteps Into Gangland, and was interested in screening it in Toronto. It is always exciting to be recruited by a film festival, after all, that is the way independent filmmakers get noticed. However, knowing the nature of my work, I advised Ms. Grewal that before any promises are made, it would be prudent of her to watch my film. Although she had heard good things about the film, I rather have a person watch the entire film and make a decision based on personal experience. My work has been deemed controversial and I do not want to have unexpected backlash from the festival from a rushed decision on Ms. Grewal’s part.

I provided PIFF with the preview link to Footsteps Into Gangland, also, I provided links to my other films as Ms. Grewal expressed interest. A week or so later, I was contacted by PIFF again. It seems my film was well received, furthermore, they wanted to showcase not only Footsteps Into Gangland, but A Warrior’s Religion (Short), and the Decrepit.

‘Wow’, I said to myself, ’3 of my films to be screened at the inaugural Punjabi International Film Festival!’ I was excited, but more so, felt honoured as I could showcase my work to a community that my first 2 films were geared to bring awareness to. I would also be given a chance to do a Q&A/Director’s commentary, something I feel is important to do at festivals/screenings as it is an opportunity to address concerns.

Sandy and I began discussing the details of coming out to Toronto, they would provide transportation to and from the venues, my meals and lodging would also be taken care of. When asked about flight, I would be expected to fly myself out. That was a concern. So I addressed it readily, I advised Sandy that I don’t need fancy transportation, and don’t worry about covering meals. Flight and lodging is however what I would require.

Sorry people, I would love to come out to every event, and if this world wasn’t run by money, I wouldn’t have any concerns. But at the end of the day, I have a family to feed, people to take care of, future projects to fund, and smaller events for schools and at-risk youth which I more than usually pay out of my own pocket.

See, my films have licensed music in them, meaning, something that is not my own creative work, is part of my project, and I license to use it in my project. Every time a screening occurs, I have to pay those other artists for letting me use their work.

I explained all this to Sandy, she said that she will discuss with her finance team and get back to me. In the meantime I should submit the films to get them ready for being screened. That was another concern. If I submit my films, without having the details worked out, I am legally obligated to showcase my films at the festival regardless if I am present or not. After addressing this concern, I said I would wait to hear back from her before submitting my films. I also advised her that I would discuss with my manager to see if I could afford to foot the bill on the flight. However I had already surpassed what I could afford to do for free this year, and it was only April!

Sandy advised me that the festival will not be selling tickets for the films, they would be free events, and that they didn’t get a lot of funding from sponsors. All this I can appreciate, it is tough to get a festival going, especially one geared towards a single community instead of the mainstream community. I told her I would speak to my manager and if I do not have any funds, then I would see if I can personally spare some savings to come out there. I said I would email her with the outcome and she said she would get in touch with me within a week.

I emailed her saying that my production company couldn’t afford to send me out there, but personally I would be willing to spare a couple of hundred dollars and help with the flight costs. And if that is still not enough to get me out there, I may still be willing to showcase my films at the festival without being present.

That phone call was my last correspondance with Ms. Grewal. I called her a couple of times – no answer, left a voicemail – no call back, dropped an email as well – no reply. Nothing. As if any dealings with me, any scouting of my films, had all been erased.

The two conversations I had with Sandy were both positive. We seemed to have a fair amount in common, she seemed like a cool person that I would want to get to know. Of course there were some ideologies that we disagreed with one another on, religious ones, but nothing that would account for the disrespect of not being responded to. She seemed to be open-minded and as everyone knows, I am too. I was looking forward to meeting her in person and continuing our worthwhile conversations of how film can bring about meaningful positive change.

So why the disrespect of being ignored? Well I appreciate that Ms. Grewal, and the rest of the PIFF team must have been busy getting the festival in order, but they cannot spare a single moment to respond? Unprofessional. Very unprofessional.

Of course I am disappointed with things not working out with PIFF, and I am also disappointed in not getting at least some type of communication back, but the thing I am most disappointed about is that I told Sandy of my negative experiences with South Asian events and concerns being a part of them, to which she said I would not have anything to worry about. ‘Sigh’, so much for that.

I wish PIFF the best in their future, a future I can personally say I do not want any part in.

p.s., So PIFF didn’t get a lot of sponsors, eh? And couldn’t afford to bring me out there? Perhaps the ‘galas’, ‘parties’, and ‘celebrations’ took the majority of the budget. Decide for yourself what the priorities of a festival should be;

originally posted here; http://www.warriorsreligion.com/news/piffunprofessionaldisrespectful

Last month I finished work on my 3rd film, a documentary short entitled ‘the Decrepit’.

‘Filmed in the summer of 2011, ‘the Decrepit’ is a micro-budget project (less than $5k) that was made to provide an empowering voice to the people of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

Too often these people are taken out of context and made to look as though they are ‘human trash’ by broadcasters and filmmakers.

Hear what these people have to say in the context which they intended.

Shout out to Brad Dyck for helping out with the sound and to the Vancouver Police Department: Beat Enforcement Team.

A very special thank you and shout out to Constable S. Lail, without him, this project would not have been possible.

The film is free to watch and share, I hope everyone understands the underlying message of the film.

Thank you for your support.

mani

original post from;
http://www.warriorsreligion.com/media/thedecrepit

It was a long road, but the film is finally available on DVD!

Thanks to everyone who helped throughout the production process.

Major thanks goes out to Sandi Nijjar, my manager for the last 4 years, and Robin Mahal, my assistant director who took on duties outside her scope of practice much too often.

http://www.footstepsintogangland.com/dvd

Here is some teaser artwork for the DVD release;

Enjoy!

mani

It was my sincere honour to support the students and give them a private screening of the film. The film was showcased on December 6th, 2011 at the Richmond campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University. It was part of other screenings of my films and a Q&A/Guest speaker session. Read the original post here.

Shout out to Summer for the ongoing support.

Thank you to the students for the props and support, it was my pleasure being a part of your studies.

Best regards,

mani

One of my favourite things to do is reach out and awareness work for the youth.  My film career has blessed me with many opportunities to come out to events and help educate youth and the public about gangsterism, women’s rights, and other socially conscious issues.

A Warrior’s Religion provided me with such opportunities, and to my surprise, now this film, is doing the same.

Professor Jay Ruzesky reached out to me after using A Warrior’s Religion in his class.  He was hoping I could come down and do a Q&A for the class, which I jumped at the chance to do.  After going back for a couple of weeks, we decided this would be a good opportunity to showcase FIG.

FIG, still going through the film festival circuit had not been actively circulated for further theatrical and educational screenings, these students essentially got a ‘sneak peak’!

It was a great event, a very engaged crowd, and an awesome day all around.  I had missed the island, as it will always will feel like home for me.

The new VIU LEED Cowichan Campus was absolutely stunning!  Environmentally & aesthetically beautiful!

Shout out to Professor Jay Ruzesky for the awesome experience.  It was my sincere pleasure to work with VIU once again.

Thank you to the awesome questions, comments, and feedback from the students/public in attendance.

Thank you Vancouver Island University!

Looking forward to more opportunities to give back to the youth.

Best,

mani

Just wanted to thank everyone who made it out to the debut screening of FIG in Ontario at the FILMI Festival, now in its 12th year, on September 29th, 2011.

FIG was honoured as the opening night feature film!

Many thanks to the always and tirelessly working Dinesh Sachdev, who has been running this festival out of his own pockets since its inception 12 years ago.

My work coming out to FILMI has taken some time but it was worth the wait.  The small and intimate festival had an atmosphere of like-minded individuals there to celebrate the love for film.

Once again, a thanks and shout out to Dinesh Sachdev, and a shout out to a friend and actor from FIG, M.E. Lewis, who came out to support the film, thanks Mark!

Best,

mani

Hey all,

I had a chance to bring awareness about the gang issue to the Iranian community via Caravan TV.  It was a great opportunity and I thank Caravan TV for it.

Shout out to Anne Khan for a great experience.

Best,

mani

Surrey flim maker and Port Alberni son Mani Amar released his latest film – Footsteps into Gangland – last month. The movie chronicles gang life on the Lower Mailand, as well as the South Asian experience with sexual abuse and the foster care system.

Hello everyone,

It is always a pleasure when one can make news in their hometown.  I was elated to be contacted by Wawmeesh Hamilton of the Alberni Valley News Newspaper.

Wawmeesh and I talked in-depth of the precursors surrounding the gang issue.  A quick 15 minute interview became an hour long conversation.

I thank Alberni Valley News and Wawmeesh for the article.

—–

Alberni South Asian filmmaker chronicles gritty gang life

By Wawmeesh G. Hamilton – Alberni Valley News
Published: May 05, 2011 2:00 AM

A former Port Alberni resident’s new film takes a raw look at taboo subjects in South Asian culture, and if it generates controversy then people are thinking, its creator said.

Footsteps into Gangland by Mani Amar chronicles a day in the lives of South Asian characters whose lives are destroyed by gangs, the foster care system and sexual abuse.

The film opened in Surrey in April.

The movie’s main character is Himit, who moves from a small Vancouver Island town to Vancouver where he re-connects with his now crime-boss cousin who tries to recruit him.

The film’s other character is Mya, who has spent most of her life in foster care.

The opening scene depicts her being raped by her foster father, then partying and using drugs as an escape.

The film isn’t meant to be entertaining, nor does it sensationalize or exploit gang life.

Instead, it scrapes the dark sheen of gritty subjects that need to be exposed.

“I expect people to be disturbed and unnerved by what they see on screen,” Amar said.

“If some scenes make people look away then it’s something they need to see, hear and really think about.”

Some of Amar’s critics say that he is doing a disservice to the South Asian community and casting Sikh religion in a bad light.

Others say he’s stereotyping the South Asian community.

“The way things happen in my film is the way it happened in people’s real lives,” Amar said.

“And Bollywood stereotypes South Asian people—I’m being blunt and honest about what goes on in part of our community.”

Amar underwrote the film’s $75,000 price tag himself using “credit cards, paycheques and savings,” he said.

There’s no guarantee he’ll recoup his financial investment, but the movie may pay off in ways which are even more valuable.

“If this gives a girl the courage to talk about sexual abuse and seek justice,” Amar said.

“Or of it stops a guy from joining a gang then I saved a life and that’s worth going into debt for.”

Amar grew up in Port Alberni but can relate to some of the film’s content  because of his experiences while living on the Lower Mainland, he said.

But it chillingly hits home in another way as well.

“I know guys from Port Alberni who got involved in crime after moving here and their lives didn’t turn out so good,” he said.

reporter@albernivalleynews.com

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/albernivalleynews/news/121306749.html

—–

Shout out to Wawmeesh Hamilton for the support!

Best,

mani

Hey all,

I had a chance to sit down with Riaz Meghji of City TV’s Breakfast Television.  Riaz has been a great supporter of my work since I started my film career.

We had a chance to speak about Footsteps Into Gangland as well as the South Asian community, media, and what needs to be done in order to help stop the gang issue from continuing.

Shout out to Riaz Meghji for another great experience with City TV and the support.

Best,

mani