Jun 2, 2020
Punam Kumar Gill is a
self-taught, award-winning independent documentary filmmaker,
actor, model, and TV host. Today, she joins me on the show to talk
about reframing how you think about courage and how she is working
to grow the genre of healing journalism. Plus, she shares about her
pivot to a documentary career and how she featured her father in
her first film. She also leaves us with thoughtful advice, in these
times of isolation, pick up the phone and ask your loved ones some
of your most burning questions. You might be surprised by what can
happen when you lead with your nose and your heart. This conversation with Punam is
what we need right now. Since we can’t go outside, we can go
inside (of ourselves) to and expand and grow.
In Punam’s debut film, THE LESSON, she turned her Dad’s life story into an award-winning documentary, earning critical acclaim and garnering numerous awards and official selections at film festivals throughout North America and India. The story centered on her father, a monk-like man from India making a difference in Edmonton, Canada. It became an immortalizing portrait and heirloom when her father passed away unexpectedly, shortly after the film was made.
Since then, Punam also released a feature-length documentary HUSH that is critically acclaimed – it is a 2-hour television special about one of the most controversial issues of our time: abortion. It is the most comprehensive journalistic work ever done on the subject, and the only one with both pro-life and pro-choice creative team members.
Punam has been a jury member for
Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, The
Calgary Foundation, and an AMPIA Board Member. She is a Chatelaine
Magazine ‘Woman of the Year’ nominee. Punam is also the TV Host of
2 award-winning food and wine shows, and received a 2015 AMPIA
nomination for ‘Best Television Host’. She has written, produced,
and directed seven documentary films.
Tune in to hear Punam’s thoughts pertaining to:
I asked Punam, “What is your elevator pitch?” Hear Punam eloquently describe herself as a storyteller, what’s happening in the world, and how we need to build capacity on the inside to lead with courage.
Check out the links below: