The shocking story of an American Sikh man murdered by xenophobic patriots after the World Trade Centre attacks is hitting close to home tonight, at the homegrown film’s Vancouver premiere.

Raj Paul Dillon, the Surrey-based journalist and filmmaker who produced and directed Sweet Amerika, said while it’s inspired by true events, the plot itself follows a fictional man who is tortured because he is Sikh.

He added that although the film is set in post-9/11 United States, the story of intolerance and immigrant life is applicable here.

“Canadians can get the same message as Americans (and) immigrants and mainstream Westerners, that racial profiling happens,” he said.

“But how do we have a dialogue and a debate and … get over the ignorance that create this violence and hate?”

He said that for the South Asian audience, the film provides acknowledgment that these things do happen and shows how they can unite and combat systemic discrimination. [Link]