Photo courtesy of Satinder Kassoana.

“Is your opinion of other races or religions really yours?” That is the question the short film Bonjour Ji poses. The film shows how people’s interactions are influenced by their own perceptions, which are in turn based on assumptions. The movie is being presented at the fifth annual Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival (VISAFF) from Nov. 27–29.

“This is a story about the communication gap between different communities who live and work close to each other every day” says the writer, director, editor Satinder Kassoana.

He adds that Bonjour Ji is the story of two characters who feel sidelined by other communities. But when the two characters meet, they realize how a change in perspective can inspire different behaviour from the same people.

Kassoana was born in a tiny village of Punjab called Kassoana. He explains that he still bears this name as his surname to remind him where he is from. He grew up in a common middle class Indian Sikh family and then lived in different cities across Asia, Europe and North America.

“I soaked (up) pieces of all those wonderful cultures and today I am very liberal and consider myself belonging to the global culture,” says Kassoana.

“Bonjour” means “hello” in French, and the word “ji” is used in Hindi and Urdu to show respect to the individual whose name it is appended to. “Bonjour Ji” could be translated as “Hello Mr./Sir.”

Kassoana chose this title to illustrate how French and Indian people show respect and harmony. “In a way, it symbolizes unity in diversity,” says Kassoana.

Diversity always remains the key word

Satinder Kassoana.| Photo courtesy of Satinder Kassoana.

Movies are a medium used to express yourself and to spread your words to millions of people. This is one of the common points of view shared by the team of Bonjour Ji.

“Today the world is shrinking. We are watching movies from other cultures in different languages and that’s great. Diversity is a reality. It inspires us, ignites a curiosity to know more and to explore more,” says Kassoana.

Diversity is shown through a Sikh character speaking French who is immersed in Quebec culture and at the same time still connected to his roots. Inspired by the world that surrounds him, Kassoana explains that making assumptions about people we don’t know is not a good thing to do. Many times we feel aversion for other races or religions because someone else has had a bad experience with them and we have inherited this aversion.

The Sikh character is played by Rup Magon who is also the co-writer. Despite being born in Montreal, his character struggles not only with how he is perceived by others, but also with how he perceives them. The film is about the assumptions we hold about people from other religions, races and communities, and how this pre-judging impacts our interactions with other people.

“Diversity helps you to be awake, aware and alive. I am impressed with how stories from the whole world are similar in their differences,” says the French actor Ben Meneghini who plays Victor Arnaud, one of the main characters.

Surjit Singh Pahwa, the executive producer, says that “Bonjour” is the connecting word. Pahwa is a man of many countries in India and in Africa. His family was attracted by Canada’s diversity when they immigrated to Canada in 1992.

“This film is about the importance of how simple conversations between people from different communities can solve so many issues,” says Kassoana.

For further information, visit www.bonjourthemovie.com and www.visaff.ca.

Photo courtesy of Satinder Kassoana.

Stills from Bonjour Ji.| Photo courtesy of Satinder Kassoana.