Baljit Sangra鈥檚 new documentary film about South Asians in hockey took a few turns over the past few years, including a title change, but no twist in the story was more devastating than the death of Ronin Sharma.
The Surrey-raised prospect, 16, was killed in that , along with fellow hockey-playing pals Caleb Reimer and Parker Magnuson, all pronounced dead at the scene.
Sharma is among players profiled in Sangra鈥檚 film, world-premiered this week during Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) with screenings Monday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 7.
to watch the trailer.
In summer 2021 Sharma was filmed skating with Arshdeep Bains, Arvin Atwal and other Indo-Canadians whose goal is to play in the NHL.
鈥淚鈥檒l never forget that day,鈥� said Sangra, who co-directed with Nilesh Patel.
鈥淲e filmed that August, and I rented a rink in Richmond and had everybody come so we could get some footage of them on the ice. We had a great day, you know, because they鈥檙e all different ages and they know each other, because how many South Asians are playing at that elite level, right? So that was nice. Like, Ronin and Arsh knew each other because they had done some training together.鈥�
The next day Sangra was travelling to Lake Cowichan to interview junior hockey team owner Harbs Bains, former president of Surrey Minor Hockey Association, when she called Ronin鈥檚 mother, Indra.
鈥淚 wanted to set up an interview with Ronin when I got back,鈥� Sangra explained. 鈥淲e kind of kept his interview last because he鈥檚 the youngest, you know, and he was shy. So first we got him training, on the ice, so he could warm up to the filming, the whole process.
鈥淎nd in that phone call she gave me the devastating news that he had died 鈥� I was on the ferry and I couldn鈥檛 believe it,鈥� Sangra continued. 鈥淚 just kept looking at my phone going, 鈥榳hat?鈥� I was with him that Friday and we finished filming in the afternoon. And after that he went for another skate, more training, then went out with his friends that evening and that鈥檚 when the crash happened, yeah. It was just so devastating.鈥�
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Forty minutes into the film, Harbs Bains and others are shown reacting to news of Ronin鈥檚 death.
鈥淚 told him, and it was so tough. Nobody could even talk,鈥� Sangra recalled.
鈥淟ater we talked to the family, of course, and we went to with Ronin鈥檚 name on it.鈥�
That 91原创 game, the BCHL team鈥檚 home-opener, was played on what would have Ronin鈥檚 17th birthday, Oct. 8.
Tragically, another hockey player shown briefly in Sangra鈥檚 film, Surrey-raised . The former West Kelowna Warriors forward, 23, was found dead in a New York hotel room on July 30, 2022.
Stories of racial discrimination, bigotry and love of hockey are told in the movie by those profiled, including broadcaster Harnarayan Singh and trailblazer Robin Bawa, the first player of South Asian blood to skate in an NHL game.
Throughout the movie Ruby Singh鈥檚 music riffs on the familiar 鈥淗ockey Night in Canada鈥� theme song using Indian instruments.
Originally called 鈥淥ut of the Stands,鈥� the movie title means 鈥淭ake the shot, score a goal,鈥� which is something Singh says during games.
Ronin鈥檚 life was cut short before he made it to NHL Entry Draft age, but fellow Surreyite Arshdeep Bains is now in the cusp of living a dream of playing in the world鈥檚 best hockey league.
An undrafted forward who led the WHL in scoring with Red Deer Rebels, Bains played last season with the minor-league Abbotsford Canucks and this week dressed for preseason games with Vancouver Canucks, after . This season he might get a shot to play with the big-league Canucks.
Meantime, the Surrey-born, North Delta-raised Atwal, now 27, is shown playing pro in Slovakia, where fans chant his name after a fight. He later played for a team in Germany and is now with HC Pustertal in Bruneck, Italy.
Harbs Bains鈥� family has roots in Duncan, not far from where he owns the junior team, Lake Cowican Kraken. He鈥檚 shown visiting a long-standing Sikh temple. 鈥淐oming here puts things in perspective,鈥� he says.
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Later in the film Sharma family members gather at home in the trophy-filled 鈥渕emory room鈥� where Ronin once slept.
Such moments make Sangra鈥檚 movie a poignant, memorable one.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud of it, yeah,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was just such a great experience meeting with all the players again, and their families. Like, last week I went and showed the film to Ronin鈥檚 family 鈥� I wanted them to see it before it was shown in theatres, you know. There were tears. I just thanked them for being allowed to tell his story, and keep his story in the film, all of that. And I鈥檒l never forget his mom鈥檚 words to me as we left, how that was Ronin at his best. I won鈥檛 forget that.鈥�
