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The Sardar of Conde-Sur-Vire

Vivek Pal Singh came from Maharashtra to France as a student, married a French woman, joined local politics, and started handing out Sikh information sheets at football games.

The Sardar of Conde-Sur-Vire

Trailer
Trailer Coming Soon
Year

2020

Runtime

10 min

Director

Stephen Ragsdale, Rishabh Thakkar, Kashif Alvi, Josh Mathews

Executive Producer

Satinder "Bicky" Singh

Produced By

Sikhlens

The Sardar of Conde-Sur-Vire

2020

Synopsis

Vivek Pal Singh arrived in France as a student from Maharashtra — his father was the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh — and never left. He married a French woman, put down roots in the small town of Conde-sur-Vire in Normandy, and became a recognizable figure in local civic life. When France's 2004 law banning religious symbols in schools created new pressures on Sikh families, Vivek decided to respond by educating the people around him. He began showing up at local football games and distributing information sheets explaining who Sikhs are, what the turban means, and why it matters.

The film is about what integration actually looks like at the ground level, without idealization. Vivek is not trying to prove that France and Sikhism are perfectly compatible. He's trying to be both, fully, in a place that wasn't designed with him in mind. His turban is not something he explains away; it's something he describes as a source of strength. The Sardar of Conde-sur-Vire is a film about a man who built his life in two cultures and decided his job was to help them understand each other.

Film Credits

Director
Stephen Ragsdale, Rishabh Thakkar, Kashif Alvi, Josh Mathews
Executive Producer
Satinder "Bicky" Singh
Produced By
Sikhlens
Sound
Kevin Khor
Runtime
10 min
Festival Screenings
Sikhlens Arts and Film Festivals
Cast
Color by: Vijey Adithya, Mohan Raj Faculty Advisor: Jeff Swimmer, Michale, Albright, Sally Rubin
The Sardar of Conde-Sur-Vire (2020) | SikhLens Films