The new documentary 'RAY OF HOPE' will be screening in venues across the UK and online as part of the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival 2025, running from 14–29 June. The film will be accessible both in cinemas and online, reaching audiences across the UK and beyond.
Directed by Nikki Cole and Ryan Singh, 'RAY OF HOPE' explores the intergenerational trauma and resilience of the Eelam Tamil community, forced to flee Sri Lanka under a totalitarian-socialist regime during a 26-year armed conflict. One of the voices at the centre of the story is Rathika Sitsabaiesan, a former Canadian Member of Parliament who fled Sri Lanka at the age of five with her Tamil family.
The documentary examines the long-term psychological impact of political policies such as the 6th Amendment, which suppressed dissent and stripped many of their identity and rights. Through Rathika’s story and others like hers, the film illustrates how the horrors of genocide, forced displacement, and surveillance shape the lives of immigrants even decades later.
In 2013 and again in 2019, Rathika revisited Sri Lanka—her country of birth—only to be surveilled by the same government responsible for her community’s suffering. Her journey, documented in 'RAY OF HOPE', reveals how storytelling becomes a vital tool of resistance, healing, and advocacy for peace.
'RAY OF HOPE' serves as a critical platform for Canadian Tamils to share their truths, while contributing to a broader understanding of the immigrant experience, state violence, and cultural resilience.
For screening details and more information, visit: Eventive
Watch the official trailer for 'RAY OF HOPE' below.
