To our film community,  During this pandemic we have gained a deeper appreciation for the life-giving services of “essential workers” in our communities. Artists provide a different kind of “essential” service. Each year, Windrider Film Forum located in Silicon Valley, California brings films and filmmakers inspire us with their story-telling and narratives that reveal solutions to even the most difficult challenges. Artists reveal our shared humanity, h...

The Valley, Review: A suicide, a steep cliff, the sea and a gun Silicon it is. And IT. The Valley story is told from the perspective of an Indian family. It is placed in the present, or the not too distant past. The Valley follows the slice of life, realistic style of narration and strikes a chord frequently. In English, it features Indian, Pakistani and American actors, with only one easily identifiable name that Indians will relate too. Yet, it is recommended viewing. The film retraces eve...

Siraj Syed covers CommunicAsia 2017, Singapore: Pre-event, 01: Smart City By 2030, 70% of the world’s population will be concentrated in cities. Today, we are seeing large scale rural to urban migration with an estimated of 370,000 people, forecasted to migrate daily, between 2015 and 2020. The massive growth of urban populations has brought about a series of managerial challenges, in both the public and private sectors, from resource limitations, to the constant need to adapt to consum...