The filmmaker Baljit Sangra discusses the documentary she’s co-directed (with Nilesh Patel) Mareya Shot, Keetha Goal: Make the Shot, which screens at the Vancouver International Film Festival (Saturday, 06 October 2023), with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Baljit Sangra joins me again. The filmmaker has co-directed a new documentary, Mareya Shot, Keetha Goal: Make the Shot. It’s a compelling film that has one more screening this Saturday afternoon at 4:15 pm at the International Village, as part of the Vancouver International Film Festival. The movie follows several junior hockey players of South Asian descent through the 2021-2022 season as they seek getting drafted into the NHL. We see Arjun Bawa and Kayden Sadhra-Kang follow in their father Robin Bawa’s footsteps, who was the first South Asian to play in the NHL in 1989. We see the defenseman Arvin Atwal make his way to Slovakia after playing in the American Hockey League. Also followed is Arshdeep Bains, a fellow AHLer, who signs with the Vancouver Canucks. The film also features Ronin Sharma, a promising young player, who during the filming is tragically killed in a car accident. As well, we meet Harbs Bains, the owner of the Lake Cowichan Kraken, and a great champion of junior hockey in the community, and the broadcasters Harnarayan Singh and Randip Janda. It’s a great Canadian story that Baljit and her co-director Nilesh Patel have brought to the screen. It’s one about family, especially the many, many people that it takes to support a player who wants to make it in professional sports. Baljit Sangra was on the podcast previously for her documentary Because We Are Girls, which was released in the spring of 2019. Her handle on Twitter is @baljitsangra604. We taped this interview one week ago. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Baljit Sangra; Ms. Sangra, good morning.

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