Under the Turban

Gr 8 Up—This film offers far-ranging responses to a question posed by the director's and the producer's nine-year-old daughter, Zara Garcha: What does it mean to be Sikh? Zara's parents globe-trot at a lively pace through Singapore (the family's home), Italy, Canada, India, England, Argentina, and the United States as they take their kids to find Sikh men and women of diverse ages and lifestyles. Vibrant music and the engaging family balance out the serious questions: What is the essence of Sikhism? What do Sikhs believe? Opening scenes depict some common misconceptions that are not immediately corrected (such as identifying Sikhs as Arabs). This ethically inspiring, clergyless, service-oriented, and nonproselytizing faith is the target of anti-Islamic prejudice today. Scholars and ordinary folks—including truck drivers, bloggers, and bikers—introduce Sikhism's tenets, practices, and history. Extraordinary Sikh service in World War I is commemorated, and the fatal 2012 shooting at a gurdwara in Wisconsin is movingly covered. The historical militarism of the Khalsa Sikhs sparks ongoing discussion about whether all Sikhs should preserve their distinctive "uniform" of long hair and the use of other Sikh symbols. Reinforcing the Sikh principle of equality, a woman explains why she wears a turban (though the Golden Temple's female guards aren't seen).