VOICES OF DEOLI
Sixty years ago, about 3000 Chinese-Indians were taken to an internment camp in a town called Deoli in Rajasthan, India. While some may have heard about the border war between China and India in 1962 preceding the internment, few know about what happened to civilians of Chinese ancestry who had lived for generations in India. Some of them were incarcerated for under a year, the longest internees were in the camp for up to four and half years.
“Voices of Deoli” tells the survivors’ stories, their life now in the States and Canada, their journey as immigrants, their haunted memories from the camp and their efforts at receiving justice throughout the years.
Streaming on Tubi and now available through Kanopy and New Day Films.
More info : https://voicesofdeoli.com/
FILMMAKER STATEMENT
As a woman filmmaker and immigrant from China and Singapore, Voices of Deoli is a deeply personal project for me and my team, and one built through close, ongoing collaboration with the community of survivors whose stories shape the film. While I am not a Deoli survivor or descendant, many of their experiences resonate with my own, particularly the complex realities of displacement, identity, and the ongoing journey of healing through resilience and community.
Voices of Deoli shines a light on the prejudice and unfair treatment that minorities and immigrants continue to face today. Across the world, immigrants’ rights are under threat, and many continue to experience discrimination, often judged by appearance rather than by who we are or the lived experiences that shape our lives. The internment at Deoli left lasting emotional and psychological scars on survivors, along with generational trauma that continues to affect their families. By bearing witness to their stories and amplifying their voices, I hope to honor their resilience, create space for healing, and reflect a deeper truth about the immigrant experience.