Voces, Independent Lens
A Thousand Pines
Raymundo Morales runs a crew of 12 Oaxacan tree planters traveling the United States in this intimate portrait about a hidden world of guest workers regrowing America’s forests.
A Dream in Doubt
In the wake of 9/11 and the hate crimes that followed, a Sikh American struggles to believe in the American dream amidst xenophobia and fear.
- Series
- Independent Lens, Global Voices
- Premiere Date
- May 20, 2008
- Length
- 60 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Open Call
Producer/Director
Tami Yeager
Yeager made her independent feature documentary debut with A Dream in Doubt. She previously produced award-winning films for national television networks, public broadcasting, and nonprofits. Prior to beginning production on A Dream in Doubt, she co-produced an hour-long documentary about infertility for MSNBC, two half-hour documentaries about… Show more
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The Film
Four days after the 9/11 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi was gunned down at his Phoenix area gas station by a man named Frank Roque. To Roque, Balbir Sodhi’s beard and turban — articles of his Sikh faith — falsely evoked the face of America’s new enemy. Seeking retaliation for 9/11, Roque killed Sodhi and went on to shoot at a Lebanese American man and fire multiple rounds of ammunition outside an Afghan American family’s home.
A Dream in Doubt follows Rana Singh Sodhi, Balbir’s brother, as he attempts to fight the hate that threatens his family and community. The Sodhis had fled ethnic violence in India to pursue their version of the American dream. But less than a year after Balbir’s murder, Sukhpal Sodhi, Rana’s next-eldest brother, is killed in mysterious circumstances while driving a cab in San Francisco. More ethnic assaults follow. Few receive significant coverage in the U.S. media, and a national dialogue concerning post-9/11 hate crimes and ethnic profiling fails to materialize.
Seeking justice for his brothers’ murders, Rana is motivated into action. He demands that America live up to its ideals of freedom, equality, and justice for all. In A Dream in Doubt, he challenges his fellow citizens to think deeply about individual responsibility in the face of bigotry and what it means to be a true patriot.
