Interview with Sophie Fouron for TV5

TV5 - Chassés croisés, Histoires de froid

Interview with Sophie Fouron

In April 2023, I was interviewed by Sophie Fouron for Chassés croisés, a series on the French television network TV5. The opportunity came about serendipitously - I had initially been contacted by a TV5 researcher seeking expertise on Sikh culture and community, but when our conversation turned to my creative work, particularly Panj (ਪੰਜ), she became fascinated and pitched the idea of featuring me in this new series.

The concept behind 'Chassés croisés' resonated deeply with me - a series of chance encounters where host Sophie Fouron engages with seemingly random passersby, discovering the rich stories beneath surface appearances. You really can't judge a book by its cover.

This reminded me of activities I'd organized during my public service career, based on the principle that behind every face lies a story. These exercises helped participants explore their intersectionality while breaking down stereotypes about civil servants being one-dimensional.

My conversation with Sophie was a delightful experience. She approached our exchange with genuine curiosity, sensitivity, and deep empathy. We explored my relationship with my father and the 'chill' (le froid) that can settle in between parent and child when the child comes out as queer. I shared my grief over his sudden death, my lingering questions about his feelings toward me, and the lost opportunity for dialogue about my identity.

These themes are central to Panj (ਪੰਜ), so we naturally moved into discussing how my artistic practice led to deeper insights about who my father really was. The experience served as a powerful reminder of the importance of moving toward others - taking time to listen, to learn, and to discover the universal resonances within our most personal stories.