This semi-autobiographical film,
written and directed by Sarab Neelam, M.D., explores family,
faith and the universal quest for identity. As a
turban-wearing Sikh surgeon in North America, Dr. Amrit Singh
is of two worlds, belonging to neither. Set in Toronto and
Detroit, the story reveals the tension between a modern
Western society and his traditional Eastern religious culture,
depicting Amrit's personal struggles against self-doubt,
discrimination and tough choices in both an unfair medical
system and in love. A target for racial profiling, Amrit must
decide whether or not to compromise his values to advance his
career and revolutionize his field of transplant surgery. His
struggle gives an intimate glimpse into another culture while
telling the universal story of our search for true self.
The title, "Ocean of Pearls," comes from the Sikh scripture
that says "The guru is an ocean filled with pearls." The
pearls represent the wisdom, knowledge, lessons and love
needed to find peace in ourselves and to ultimately find God
in ourselves.
