Communiqué
India’s only all-female news outlet is “Writing with Fire” on INDEPENDENT LENS; March 28 at 10 pm
< < Back toOSCAR®-NOMINATED DOCUMENTARY “WRITING WITH FIRE” MAKES ITS TELEVISION DEBUT ON PBS’S INDEPENDENT LENS ON MARCH 28, 2022
Film Turns a Lens on India’s Only All-Female News Outlet in Male-Dominated Media Landscape
Fresh off its Academy Award®-nomination earlier this month, Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s “Writing With Fire” will make its television debut on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS on March 28, 2022, at 10:00 p.m. ET. The film will also be available to stream on the PBS Video app.
“Writing With Fire” has been lauded as “a rousing, inspirational tribute to the pride of grassroots Indian journalism” by Variety and “the most inspiring journalism movie—maybe ever” by the Washington Post, and also named a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Its INDEPENDENT LENS premiere comes the day after the 94th Academy Awards® on Sunday, March 27, 2022 for which it has been nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category.
In the midst of a crowded, patriarchal news landscape, the reporters with Khabar Lahariya—India’s only newspaper run by Dalit (“low caste”) women—take it upon themselves to cover their country’s inequities with unflinching determination. Armed only with their smartphones, these fearless journalists traverse the state of Uttar Pradesh, exposing government misconduct, rape culture, and rampant corruption that victimizes those without voice or power. Led by chief reporter Meera Devi, they investigate the incompetence of the local police force, listen to and stand by victims of caste and gender violence, and challenge long-standing, harmful practices that lead to injustice and intimidation.
“Writing With Fire” follows this ambitious group of Dalit women, focusing on staff reporters Suneeta Prajapati and Shyamkali Devi, in addition to Meera Devi, as they transition from print to digital in order to stay relevant, and learn to harness the power of online media to grow their audience far beyond the confines of their social standing. Filmmakers Thomas and Ghosh journey with the women as they travel around rural India to report on abuses of patriarchy and government malfeasance, their efforts taking them into people’s homes, police offices, the frontlines of major government elections, and more.
Eye-opening and compelling, “Writing With Fire” highlights what it means to truly challenge traditional notions of power and redefine what it means to be powerful. The film, which was five years in the making, marks the feature debut of both Thomas and Ghosh.
“In our filmmaking, we’ve always been drawn to the stories of those who are marginalized by an unjust system but who forge on, regardless, to change their lives and the lives of those around them,” said Rintu Thomas. “In the journalists of Khabar Lahariya, we found an incredible story of women taking on huge personal risks every day in pursuit of truth, justice, and real change, driven by their deep belief in the mission and purpose behind what they do. This is a journalism documentary, but at its heart is a story about courage and hope and women who are changing the world in their own unique ways.”
Added Sushmit Ghosh, “The Khabar Lahariya newspaper is a lens through which we delve deeper into exploring some of the most pressing, complex societal issues facing India’s society today. Gender and class inequality, rape, political corruption—these are all huge issues, but by following the journalists as they reported on these stories, we were able to take a more intimate approach to talking about and highlighting the extent of systemic injustice in the country.”
“Writing With Fire” had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in 2021, where it was a double award winner, scooping up both the World Cinema Audience Award and Special Jury Award: Impact for Change. The film was a favorite on the festival circuit, picking up additional awards at San Francisco Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Telluride Mountainfilm Festival, Washington D.C. Filmfest, Belfast Film Festival, International Human Rights Film Festival, and more.
In addition to its recent Academy Award® nomination for Best Documentary Feature, “Writing With Fire” was also nominated for the Producers Guild of America Awards for outstanding producer of documentary motion pictures, and was named to the IDA Shortlist for best feature documentary.
Visit pbs.org/writingwithfire on INDEPENDENT LENS for more information about the film.