Air India documentary moves audience to tears

Vancouver: There were a lot of tears shed at the Vancity Theatre Saturday as Sturla Gunnarsson premiered his documentary - Air India 182 - about the bombing that changed so many lives and put Canada on the international terrorism map.
Family members of victims, police, former CP employees were unwittingly caught up in the heinous plot to bomb two Air India jetliners back in 1985. Even Jack Hooper, the retired deputy director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, slipped out of the room before the lights came up, tears in his eyes.
"I was crying. It was very moving," said Surrey MLA Dave Hayer, who lost his father in a 1998 assassination, believed to be linked to Air India. "Most of the people in the room were crying."
Hayer said the 96-minute film was the "best documentary I have ever seen" and he thinks it should be mandatory in all B.C. schools so that the sordid chapter in Canadian history that cost 331 lives is never forgotten.
While the film had already been shown at the Toronto Hot Docs festival in April and is due to air commercial-free on CBC on June 22, Gunnarsson said it was important to screen the documentary in Vancouver - "ground zero" for the terrorist plot hatched in B.C. 23 years ago.
Martine Donahue, who took the original telephone bookings for the targeted flights when she was a CP ticket agent, said the film shows the human side of the tragedy more than anything.
Jeanne Bakermans, who unknowingly checked in the bomb-laden bag at Vancouver International Airport, said she had to pull a box of Kleenex out during the film.
Many of those who lost loved ones and poured their hearts out for the film were in the room watching Saturday.
Perviz Madon, who lost husband Sam in the bombing, said the movie will "make it real" for all Canadians who watch it.
Retired RCMP Sgt. John Schneider first worked on the Air India file right after the bombing in 1985. He later headed the Air India Task Force that brought Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri to trial. Both were later acquitted.
Schneider brought his wife and daughter to see the film in which he explains the difficulties of advancing the investigation of Canada's worst terrorist attack.
Several watching the film, like Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh and Ross Street Sikh Temple president Kashmir Singh Dhaliwal, have continued to receive threats for speaking out.
15/06/08 Kim Bolan/Vancouver Sun/Canada.com, Canada

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Categories: Air India - International Jun 2008, Foreign Jun 2008, NACIL Jun 2008, Safety Jun 2008