After winning over 50 film festival awards, Imtiaz Popat’s documentary Hate Can Kill about the murder of Guru Nanak Sikh gurdwara caretaker Nirmal Singh Gill 25 Years ago in Surrey British Columbia at the hands of white supremacist skinheads who was beaten to death in its parking lot during his late-night watch on Jan. 4, 1998, is finally coming to Vancouver area film festivals.
Five young men who had ties to a neo-Nazi group called the Hammerskins were arrested for second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Two were sentenced to 18 years in prison and the other three were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Speaking to the trial judge’s decision, Lambert said, “In my opinion, he imposed fit sentences for this despicable crime cruelly committed by a gang of racial bigots in pursuit of their racist aims.
Two of the five later appealed their sentences in 2001 but Justice John Lambert, of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia, rejected their arguments, with fellow Justices Harold Hollinrake and Mary Saunders concurring.
There was a huge public outcry following murder. In July 1998, a march against racism in response to Gill’s death drew over 5000 participants.
This is a new version of an older documentary is more comprehensive and has more analysis, not just about this murder 25 years ago in Surrey BC, other such murders since based on hate.
The film is being featured at the New West Film Festival on November 21 at the Landmark Cinemas at 12 noon and at the Heart of the City Festival on November 29th at the Interurban Gallery at 3 pm followed by a talk back. The film is also being featured in the Director’s Cut Film Festival online in November.
Imtiaz Popat 