FILMMAKER’S
BIO
R. PAUL DHILLON
SCREENWRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
R.
Paul Dhillon is an award
winning South Asian
journalist, producer
and filmmaker based
in Vancouver. He holds
a degree in Communications
and a minor in Film
from Simon Fraser University.
Aside from an extensive
writing background with
South Asian newspapers
and magazines, he has
also done freelancing
writing for mainstream
publications like The
Vancouver Sun. Currently,
he writes Bollywood
film reviews for the
Georgia Straight newspaper
in Vancouver.
Over the years, Dhillon
has amassed a number
of writing/producing/directing
credits, including TEARS
AND SIGHS on the abuses
of alcohol in the South
Asian community as well
as a VARIETY television
show for Rogers Multicultural
Station; PLANET AAJ
(1997/98), a South Asian
variety show shown on
Baton Broadcasting’s
flagship Vancouver television
station VTV (now BC-CTV
- channel 9); The SAINT
SOLDIER (1999/2000)
- a one-hour documentary
on B.C.’s Sikh community
also for CTV; SLICES
OF MY LIFE (1992/93),
a slice of the immigrant
experience, which was
produced through a grant
from B.C. Ministry of
Tourism; SOUTH VAN STUD
(1992), a play for Expressions
’92 Youth Festival;
and AUTUMN LEAVES (1990/91),
a short film which was
selected at Montreal’s
Student Film Festival.
Dhillon has also written
several short and feature
length film scripts
including THE FUSION
GENERATION and SPICELAND,
both of which are being
developed. 2008 was
a banner year for Dhillon
as two of his big projects
were released across
Canada. His documentary
THE BHANGRA GENERATION
for Rogers’ Toronto-based
OMNI Television made
its broadcast debut
on September 24, 2008.
He also saw the release
of his debut indie feature
film SWEET AMERIKA,
which he co-wrote, produced
and directed for MMM
Film Finance International.
SWEET AMERIKA was released
in Canadian theatres
on September 19, 2008.
The well received film
made its US Debut at
the Spinning Wheels
Film Festival of Hollywood
in November 2008 and
was released in US on
May 22, 2009.
rpaul@blueberrystreetfilms.com
PM Stephen Harper presented the award to LINK editor R. Paul Dhillon at an awards
ceremony and Gala Dinner at Seneca College in Markham, Ontario on Nov. 21.
