Independent Lens to preview ‘A Dream in Doubt’ at ISU

Independents Lens will preview the film "A Dream in Doubt," a story of immigrant survival, from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, at the Pond Student Union Bengal Theater.

The film focuses on a wave of frightening hate crimes in the aftermath of 9/11. Following the free film, speakers will lead an audience discussion of effective ways to fight hate crimes.  The film is presented by ISU Student Activities, Idaho Public Television, and the Independent Television Service. 

It is free and open to the public.

For more information call 282-3154

A DREAM IN DOUBT focuses on Sikh Americans living in Phoenix, Arizona, in a close-knit community of families who experienced a wave of frightening hate crimes in the aftermath of 9/11. Rana Singh Sodhi, a 36-year-old Indian immigrant, finds his life forever altered by the 9/11 terror attacks, not because he knew any victims of the attack, but because his turban and beard became symbols of the terrorists who attacked America. Rana’s eldest brother, Balbir—who also was bearded and wore a turban—was America’s first post-9/11 hate crime murder victim, gunned down at his gas station by a man who claimed he was rooting out a terrorist. A DREAM IN DOUBT will be broadcast on Tuesday, May 13, at 10 PM on Idaho Public Television on the Emmy Award–winning PBS series Independent Lens, hosted by Terrence Howard. The ISU screening is a sneak preview.

As if one murder was not enough, Rana’s next-eldest brother, Sukhpal, was shot and killed in mysterious circumstances less than a year later. The events captured in A DREAM IN DOUBT show the almost daily horrors members of the Sikh community live with as misunderstood Americans. Yet Rana relies on his belief in the American values of freedom, self-reliance, equality and protection of the weak—values that mirror Sikh teachings—to carry him through injustices.

By following Rana’s attempts to insure that justice is served in his brothers’ murders, A DREAM IN DOUBT tells a uniquely personal story of tragedy, family connection, community and an American Dream that is in danger of slipping away. In the end, this moving portrait of one man’s odyssey from persecution in India to embracing America as his homeland proves that courage and hope have the power to overcome hate.

To learn more about the film and the issues, visit the A DREAM IN DOUBT interactive companion website (pbs.org/adreamindoubt), which features detailed information on the film, including an interview with the filmmaker and links and resources pertaining to the film’s subject matter. The site also features a Talkback section for viewers to share their ideas and opinions, preview clips of the film, and more.

A DREAM IN DOUBT is the featured film in May 2008 for ITVS COMMUNITY CINEMA, the monthly screening series that features selections coming up in the Independent Lens season. Presented in partnership with local public television stations and leading community organizations, ITVS Community Cinema holds preview screenings in select markets across the country, making a real contribution on a range of current social issues by connecting communities with organizations, information and the opportunity to get involved. For more information, visit www.itvs.org/outreach.

About the Filmmaker

Tami Yeager, director/producer, is a documentary filmmaker working in New York. Over the past decade, Yeager has covered a wide range of subjects for PBS, broadcast networks and nonprofits, including youth issues, culture, criminal justice, religion, science, health and the arts. Most recently, she has co-produced Making a Baby, an hour-long documentary for MSNBC about infertility, and two half-hour documentaries, for ABC News and PBS. Her first independent documentary, A DREAM IN DOUBT, was conceived in response to post-9/11. At the same time, Yeager conceived and produced a video-based middle school multicultural curriculum project called The Sikh Next Door. Her independent work is inspired by her belief that media is one of the most powerful tools in community building, education and social change. Yeager has a bachelor’s degree in international relations from American University.

About Independent Lens

Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award–winning weekly series airing Tuesday nights at 10 PM on PBS. The acclaimed anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers. Independent Lens features unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history. Presented by ITVS, the series is supported by interactive companion websites and national publicity and community engagement campaigns. Further information about the series is available at www.pbs.org/independentlens. Independent Lens is jointly curated by ITVS and PBS and is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding provided by PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts. The series producer is Lois Vossen.