Sikh Formaggio

Did Sikhs from India save the cheesemakers of Northern Italy? Apparently, according to this colorful documentary from filmmakers Devyn Bisson, Katie Wise, and Dan Duran, which examines the mass immigration of Sikhs into Italian farm territory starting in the 1990s. Just when dairy farmers and cheese producers were finding that they could no longer draw enough labor from the local population, Sikhs began to arrive and filled the worker gap. Sikh Formaggio personalizes the broader story here by concentrating on a few Sikh families and native cheese manufacturers. The immigration phenomenon was a win-win for everyone, and aside from a minority of anti-immigrant, racist individuals, the Sikhs appear to have been welcomed. And there is a familiar immigrant twist: the younger generation of Sikhs—the sons and daughters of those who came to work in the dairy industry—are now receiving a higher education in Italy, and are not likely to take their parents' place. So, the next question is where will the future laborers come from? An interesting story that touches on many facets of the immigration experience, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)