About the Film
FILM SYNOPSIS
“Crossing Lines” is about an Indian American woman’s struggle to stay connected to India after the loss of her father. Like most second-generation ethnic Americans, Indira Somani has struggled with identity issues, since her parents migrated to the U.S. in the 1960s. Being born and brought up in the U.S. Indira led an American life, but at home, her world was Indian because of her father’s immense love for India and Indian culture. This film takes you on a journey to India, where Indira visits her father’s extended family for the first time after his death. The film explores how Indira tries to stay connected to Indian culture and her extended family, despite the loss of her father. It is the story of how one daughter pays tribute to her father in all that he’s taught her about India, Indian culture and family.
" 'Crossing Lines' takes a very personal story of the conflict between an American daughter and her Indian father and turns it into a documentary that touches us all, especially those who have tried to please a parent who comes from a different world, who have tried to keep a culture intact while assimilating into the world around them. It is a tour-de-force merging personal observations with eternal verities about the human condition.
Indira's odyssey should not be missed. It will remind you why family is important and how it is possible to reconcile the mysteries and delights of conflicting cultures even while your heart is breaking."
- Joe Saltzman, Professor of Journalism and Communications
Annenberg School of Communications and Journalism
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
"... in my Intercultural Communication class I showed Crossing Lines. I show it every semester I teach the class. The students were very moved by it. One was in tears, literally."
-Jim Neuliep, Ph.D. Intercultural Communications Scholar
St. Norbert College
De Pere, WI
