2006 POINT SCHOLARS

Harjant Gill

American University

Doctoral Student and Filmmaker

Anthropology with a concentration in race, gender and social justice

Harjant was born India and moved to SF Bay Area at the age of 15. He came out at 16. Coming out to his family was especially difficult because in Indian culture, homosexuality remains a taboo. In India it is still punishable by law. Harjant used filmmaking as a way to empower himself and cope with the alienation from his family and culture. For Harjant, making films is about casting a spotlight on urgent and often overlooked social issues, and making marginalized members of society — gay, lesbians and other minority groups — feel less isolated and more understood. Over the past five years, Harjant has directed and produced five films, all of which have been screened at film festivals worldwide. The list of his films include, EVERYTHING, Some Reasons for Living, and Mission Movie, which won “Best Feature Film” at the 2004 NY International Latino Film Festival. His most recent film Milind Soman Made Me Gay, a documentary exploring the lives of gay South Asians living in the diaspora is being distributed by Frameline distribution. In addition, his work was recently featured in a book titled Our Time is Now, which chronicles the work of 30 young leaders from around the world. Harjant is currently pursing a doctoral degree in Anthropology with a concentration in race, gender and social justice at American University and hopes to teach and continue making films in the future. His upcoming film, The Visit is a modern day interpretation of the Sodom and Gomorrah story set in a shantytown located on the outskirts of Istanbul, Turkey.

 Harjant’s website is: www.TilotamaProductions.com