Partition -A tragic love story
January, 10 2007
Partition is a new film by Canadian filmmaker Vic Sarin and is set in the India of 1947 during the last days of the British Raj. A way of life is coming to an end. Intertwining cultures are forced to separate. As Partition divides a nation, two lives are brought together in a profound and sweeping story that reveals the tenderness of the human heart in the most violent of times.
Kristen Kreuk (Smallville) making her feature film debut, stars alongside Jimi Mistry (East Is East, The Guru, Touch of Pink) and Neve Campbell (The Company, Wild Things) in Partition, a classic love story played out on the vast canvas of India during the 1947 Partition.
Gian Singh (Jimi Mistry), a Sikh, and Naseem (Kristin Kreuk), a Muslim, are a latter-day Romeo and Juliet. With the Partition of India and Pakistan sparking bloodshed between the communities being torn apart by the Partition of the country, their respective people may have become mortal enemies but Gian and Naseem are determined to follow their hearts. He refuses to abandon his pledge to leave war and its atrocities behind, she can't forget his courage and kindness in saving her from his countrymen's wrath. As their love flourishes and eventually finds acceptance in Gian's village, the search for Naseem's family goes on. When it proves successful, their delicate world is shattered.
A brief visit to see her family in Pakistan becomes a kind of imprisonment for Naseem, as her brothers and mother remain bitter about their fate at the hands of the Sikhs in Gian's village and refuse to let her return to India. Gian sets off on a journey across a land whose wounds are still raw, hoping against hope that he can bring home peace and harmony. With its rich tapestry of stories and characters based on real people and events, Partition is a moving and timeless tale of innocent people struggling to find happiness in treacherous times.
Partition has been a lifelong dream for Vancouver director Vic Sarin and deals with issues close to his heart. Growing up in Kashmir at the time of the Partition, Sarin's memories of India - the things he witnessed and the stories he heard as a child - have left an indelible impression on him. The tragic story of a friend of Sarin's father - a Sikh gentleman who loved a Muslim woman - became the inspiration for the two archetypal Romeo and Juliet characters in his movie.
Sarin took on the triple roles of director, director of photography and screenwriter of Partition. A much-lauded filmmaker, whose work on feature films, documentaries, and television movies including Whale Music, Cold Comfort, Bye Bye Blues, Dancing in the Dark, Love on the Side, and Margaret's Museum has been widely celebrated. He has received both Genie and Emmy nominations and numerous accolades, including the Kodak Achievement Award.