Press Kit

Vinay Giridhar, Director & Editor

Vinay Giridhar
Director & Editor

For Vinay Giridhar, I, Migrant is both a documentary subject and a deeply personal story.

Giridhar immigrated from India to Canada as an international student with significant financial obligations, family expectations and dreams for his future. His earliest experiences after arriving revealed how quickly anticipation can give way to vulnerability, uncertainty and culture shock.

Those experiences inspired a film that looks beyond the moment of arrival.

Giridhar’s vision is to follow the migration journey across time and geography, documenting its large turning points and its quieter moments: anticipation, fear, separation, pressure, setbacks, adaptation, achievement and belonging.

Rather than portraying migrants simply as success stories or victims of hardship, I, Migrant seeks to preserve the complexity of their experiences and allow people to speak through their own lives.

The goal is not to present one definitive immigrant story.

It is to reveal how many different stories can exist within the word migrant.

Title: I, Migrant
Format: Feature Documentary
Genre: Documentary / Social Impact
Country: Canada
Status: In Production / Editing and Post-Production
Release: 2027
Director & Editor: Vinay Giridhar
Producer: Amar Sangha
Cinematographer: Bhavesh Chauhan
Consulting Producer: Sean Farnel
Consulting Story Editor: Jasleen Kaur
Production Company: Goodness Pictures Ltd.
Primary Languages: English and native mother tongue languages spoken by participants in India and Canada
Filming Locations: Metro Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Mumbai, Kerala, Chandigarh and Punjab (India)
Themes: Migration, identity, family, labour, education, sacrifice, exploitation, resilience, culture, memory, displacement, hope, home and belonging

I Migrant film interview in livingroom

Logline

From India to Canada, I, Migrant follows people pursuing the promise of a new life while confronting the sacrifices, pressures and unexpected realities of migration, revealing the resilience required to build a sense of home across borders.

I Migrant film interview

Short Synopsis

I, Migrant is a social-impact feature documentary exploring the human stories behind Indian migration to Canada.

Through intimate interviews, observational filmmaking, archival materials, historical context, animation, and reconstructed elements, the film follows people at different stages of the migration and settlement journey. Their stories reveal not only the dreams that inspire people to leave home, but also the financial pressures, cultural transitions, family expectations, uncertainty, exploitation, resilience and personal transformation that can follow.

Moving between India and Canada, I, Migrant asks what people leave behind, what they carry with them, and what it ultimately means to belong.

Official Synopsis

Every migration story begins before the journey.

There are families left behind, expectations carried forward, money borrowed, opportunities imagined and futures constructed long before a plane ever leaves the ground.

I, Migrant follows newcomers and settlers from different parts of India as they pursue new lives in different parts of Canada.

Filmed across British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and India, the feature documentary moves beyond statistics and political rhetoric to examine migration as an intensely personal human experience.

Some leave seeking education or economic opportunity. Others are drawn by the possibility of security, freedom, acceptance or a different future. Their journeys can carry enormous expectations, both their own and those of the families who helped make migration possible.

Arrival, however, is only the beginning.

The film explores the distance between the imagined Canadian dream and the complicated realities that can emerge after migration: high costs, unfamiliar systems, employment barriers, precarious work, credential recognition, isolation, discrimination, cultural adjustment, family pressures and the enormous responsibility of succeeding when others are depending on you.

Yet I, Migrant is equally a film about resilience.

Through setbacks, uncertainty, small victories and life-changing decisions, its participants reveal the courage required to begin again and the many ways people create community, preserve culture, redefine identity and build home in a new country.

Using observational filmmaking, interviews, archival materials, historical context, animation and reconstructed elements, director Vinay Giridhar brings together stories from India and Canada to create a layered portrait of migration across borders, cultures and generations.

At its heart, I, Migrant asks a simple but profound question:

What does it take to leave one home and build another?

News

August 20, 2022 – The Runner – Sher Vancouver announces upcoming documentary I, Migrant

Sher Vancouver announces upcoming documentary I, Migrant

The film will follow the journey of immigrants from India as they settle into Canada

Sher Vancouver, a charity for LGBTQ+ South Asians in Metro Vancouver, is producing a new documentary I, Migrant that follows the immigration journey from India to Canada. 

The film will be documented in real time and follow immigrants who will be settling into the Metro Vancouver region. The goal of the film is to show the “emotional challenges, motivation, and outcomes of Indians immigrating to Canada.” 

Alex Sangha, founder of Sher Vancouver and producer for the film, says the purpose of I, Migrant is to “humanize the story of immigrants.” Due to the birth lottery and other factors, some people are born into countries with lower standards of living, Sangha says. 

“Canada is a land of immigrants, with the exception of the Indigenous Peoples. Canada really is a land of immigrants, and they contribute a lot to our country,” he says.
 
Sangha says when the media shows South Asians, they often present them as dangerous and part of gangs. When they mention immigrants in general it’s often in correlation with violence, and Sangha wants people to know that immigrants are not like that and are contributing citizens. 

“We want to share that narrative, and we want to give hope and inspire people [to know] that they can come to this country and succeed and be successful and have role models,” he says. 

While this film will show that living in Canada as an immigrant is possible, the film will also reveal the realities of immigrating to the country. For example, international students pay high tuition fees and are limited to 20-hours per week for work while being a full-time student. 

Sangha says some issues international students face are poor work conditions where their employer pays them less than minimum wage, exploitation at work in exchange for a faster immigration process due to fear of being deported, and some students cannot report the issue to the authorities. 

“I, Migrant is going to share the strength and struggle of immigrants, from their journey from different parts of India to Canada,” Sangha says. 

Since this story is going to be filmed as the events go on, Sangha says they don’t know how exactly it will unfold. Three people have been casted for the film. Harpreet, 26, from Punjab, India and currently resides in Surrey; Deb, 31, who grew up in Mumbai, India, and lives in Vancouver and Toronto; and Mansel, 30, who currently lives in Mumbai.  

Sangha says a misconception of immigrating from India to Canada is that once a person arrives, they begin working and are able to send a lot of money home. However, that is not the case. 

Certain educational credentials from other countries are not recognized in Canada, which restricts doctors, teachers, and lawyers from doing a job they had in their home country. 

“A lot of doctors who were in India are working here as Uber drivers, or they’re delivering Skip the Dishes, or they’re working on farms making pennies for the hour,” Sangha says. 

He says most of the people who work on farms in Canada are immigrants. They work in a seasonal capacity and are not protected like other workers are. 

“There’s a lot of emotional, psychological, economic, and exploitative things that happen to immigrants when they come to this country. It’s important to share their story because immigrants have no one to speak for them,” Sangha says. 

“We want to create a system that can provide opportunities for everyone so that they can reach their potential in this country. So that they can all be successful.”

The documentary is expected to be released in 2024 or 2025. 

Press Releases

September 25, 2026 – New I, Migrant Visual Epilogue to Premiere at BC Culture Days

New I, Migrant Visual Epilogue to Premiere at BC Culture Days

Jee Ayaan (Welcome) brings together Punjabi poetry, music and cinema in a powerful reflection on migration, memory, identity and belonging

Delta, B.C. – September 25, 2026 – Audiences will get a special first glimpse of the forthcoming feature documentary I, Migrant when its new visual epilogue, Jee Ayaan (Welcome), premieres on the big screen at the North Delta Centre for the Arts on Sunday, October 4, 2026, as part of BC Culture Days.

Presented through the Sundar Prize Film Festival’s Luminaries Program, the 3-minute, 30-second cinematic sequence brings together Punjabi poetry, documentary imagery and music to explore migration, identity, memory, belonging and the meaning of welcome.

At the heart of the work is Jee Ayaan (Welcome), a poem by acclaimed Punjabi poet Ajmer Rode, drawn from Leela, the seminal work of Punjabi literature co-authored by Rode and Navtej Bharati.

The sequence features Ajmer Rode, Satwinder Bains, Mehnaaz Maan and Narinder Sharma, who also appear in I, Migrant.

Directed by Vinay Giridhar and produced by Amar Sangha, the visual epilogue features cinematography by Bhavesh Chauhan, and music by celebrated Vancouver-based sitarist and composer Mohamed Assani.

“Jee Ayaan is about more than arriving in a new country. It asks what it means to be welcomed, what we carry with us when we migrate, and how memory, language and culture continue to shape our sense of home,” said Producer Amar Sangha.

Director Vinay Giridhar said the sequence was conceived as a reflective conclusion to the larger documentary.

“We wanted the epilogue to leave audiences not simply with information about migration, but with a feeling. Poetry gave us a way to express experiences that documentary interviews alone cannot always capture. Jee Ayaan brings together image, music, language and memory in a very intimate way.”

A FIRST LOOK AT I, MIGRANT

Currently in the editing stage and entering post-production, I, Migrant is a feature documentary exploring Indian migration to Canada through personal stories, history, identity and the evolving meaning of belonging.

The October 4 screening will give audiences an opportunity to experience one of the documentary’s completed creative sequences on the big screen while the feature continues toward completion.

Through the voices of immigrants, artists, cultural figures and community members, I, Migrant examines migration not simply as movement from one country to another, but as an experience shaped by memory, family, culture, sacrifice, identity and the search for home.

The presentation of Jee Ayaan brings these themes together through a distinctly poetic lens, connecting contemporary documentary filmmaking with one of Punjabi literature’s significant works.

PUNJABI LITERATURE MEETS CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN CINEMA

The visual epilogue draws its name and central text from Rode’s poem Jee Ayaan, meaning “welcome.”

The sequence combines the spoken and written tradition of Punjabi poetry with contemporary documentary cinema and music, creating a meditation on what it means to leave one home, enter another and carry cultural memory across generations.

The screening will also bring together several prominent voices featured in the documentary, including Ajmer Rode, Satwinder Bains, Mehnaaz Maan and Narinder Sharma.

PART OF A FREE BC CULTURE DAYS CELEBRATION

Jee Ayaan will premiere near the beginning of the afternoon film program during a free day of arts, culture and community programming at the North Delta Centre for the Arts.

The event includes a filmmaking workshop, a youth storytelling showcase, networking, a red carpet, complimentary lunch and refreshments, nine short film screenings and a filmmaker question-and-answer session.

EVENT SCHEDULE
11:30 AM
Doors Open, Coffee, Tea, Snacks and Popcorn
11:45 AM
Welcome
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
How to Make Your First Film
A free workshop led by filmmakers Shanthini Balasubramanian and Hannah Yang
1:00 PM to 1:15 PM
Meet the Storytellers
1:15 PM to 2:15 PM
Networking Session, Complimentary Lunch, Red Carpet and Photos
2:15 PM to 4:15 PM
Opening Remarks for BC Culture Days followed by screenings of nine short films with filmmakers in attendance
Jee Ayaan (Welcome) will be among the first works screened.
4:15 PM to 5:15 PM
Filmmaker Question and Answer Session moderated by Shanthini Balasubramanian

SCREENING DETAILS

Jee Ayaan (Welcome)
A Visual Epilogue from the Feature Documentary I, Migrant
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
Doors Open: 11:30 AM
Film Program Begins: 2:15 PM
Location: North Delta Centre for the Arts
Address: 11425 84 Avenue, Delta, British Columbia
Admission: Free
Official Website
https://sundarprize.com/bc-culture-days/
General Public Registration
https://culturedays.ca/en/hubs/56df4515-db0b-41d7-81d1-5e1ad44d57a4

ABOUT I, MIGRANT

I, Migrant is a feature documentary directed by Vinay Giridhar and produced by Amar Sangha exploring Indian migration to Canada through the voices and lived experiences of immigrants, community members, artists and cultural figures.

The documentary examines migration through themes of identity, memory, culture, family, sacrifice, displacement, belonging and the meaning of home.

ABOUT SUNDAR PRIZE FILM FESTIVAL

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is a Canadian film festival dedicated to socially engaged cinema and to supporting established and emerging filmmakers whose work explores important social, cultural and human issues.

Through screenings, filmmaker conversations, professional development, mentorship and community programming, the festival creates opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to connect through the power of storytelling.

The Sundar Prize Film Festival is an official project of Sher Pride.
www.sherpride.ca
www.sundarprize.com

MEDIA CONTACT

Amar Sangha
Producer, I, Migrant
Cell/Text: 604-842-7340

Official Website
https://sundarprize.com/bc-culture-days/
Registration for General Public
https://culturedays.ca/en/hubs/56df4515-db0b-41d7-81d1-5e1ad44d57a4

KEY CREDITS

Visual Epilogue: Jee Ayaan (Welcome)
Poetry: Ajmer Rode
From: Leela by Ajmer Rode and Navtej Bharati
Featuring: Ajmer Rode, Satwinder Bains, Mehnaaz Maan and Narinder Sharma
Director: Vinay Giridhar
Producer: Amar Sangha
Consulting Producer: Sean Farnel
Cinematography: Bhavesh Chauhan
Music: Mohamed Assani

Media Asset Library

Official Poster

I Migrant film poster
Download Poster

Approved Film Stills

  • Indian man sitting on rock wall near waterside
  • people sitting for I Migrant film interview
  • Ajmer Rode interview for I Migrant film
  • people in India for I Migrant film interview
  • Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains interview for I Migrant film
  • Canadian citizenship gathering

Behind-the-Scenes

  • people sitting for I Migrant film interview
  • people sitting for I Migrant film interview
  • people standing outside Fraser Valley University India
  • I Migrant film interview in livingroom
  • I Migrant film interview in livingroom
  • young woman standing on beach near Vancouver

Headshots

Vinay Giridhar
Amar Sangha
Amar Sangha

Logos

I Migrant logo
Goodness Pictures logo

Interview Requests

Available interview subjects can include:
Vinay Giridhar
Director & Editor
Amar Sangha
Producer
Depending on the request, additional creative team members or documentary participants may be made available.

Suggested topics:

Migration and belonging
Indian migration to Canada
Documentary filmmaking
Social-impact cinema
South Asian representation
Filming across India and Canada
International students
Community-based filmmaking
Identity and cultural memory
Jee Aayan
The making of I, Migrant

MEDIA STORY ANGLES

I, Migrant offers a range of potential stories for journalists, broadcasters, podcasts, educators and cultural media:
Beyond the immigration debate
What happens when migrants are treated as people rather than statistics?
The Canadian dream and its hidden costs
The financial, emotional and family pressures behind migration.
From India to Canada
Following migration on both sides of the journey.
The international student experience
Education, expectation, opportunity, uncertainty and settlement.
When professional identities do not cross borders
Credential recognition and rebuilding careers after migration.
Migration and family responsibility
The expectations carried by people whose families have invested in their future abroad.
Who gets to belong?
Identity, culture and the meaning of home after migration.
Filmmaking from lived experience
How director Vinay Giridhar’s own migration story shaped the documentary.
Social-impact documentary filmmaking
Why Amar Sangha and Vinay Giridhar continue to centre underrepresented communities through film.
Migration, poetry and memory
How “Jee Ayaan (Welcome)” uses Ajmer Rode’s poetry and Mohamed Assani’s music as an emotional bridge into the documentary.

Primary media contact

Amar Sangha, Producer
I, Migrant
Goodness Pictures Ltd.
goodnesspictures@gmail.com