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Writing with Fire: Oscar Nominee for Best Documentary

Writing with Fire: Oscar Nominee for Best Documentary

FromFactual America


Writing with Fire: Oscar Nominee for Best Documentary

FromFactual America

ratings:
Length:
51 minutes
Released:
Feb 9, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Writing with Fire (2021) is an inspiring story about India's only newspaper run by Dalit, low-caste women. Armed with smartphones and tenacity, chief reporter Meera Devi and her journalists break traditions as they break stories and tackle India's biggest issues. In the process, they are redefining what it means to be powerful socially.  Writing with Fire is one of this year's Academy Award nominees for The Best Feature Documentary. The film has already won the Audience Award and Special Jury Award at Sundance Film Festival 2021, and a host of other awards at over a hundred film festivals around the world. Award-winning co-director, co-producer, editor and cinematographer of Writing with Fire, Sushmit Ghosh, joins us to share the five-year journey of making this film in collaboration with his partner in film and life, Rintu Thomas. He reveals what drew him and Rintu to this story, how they chose the subjects, and how the film was received worldwide.  Watch the full interview at: https://www.alamopictures.co.uk/podcast/writing-with-fire/ “It’s not just a story about a journalist who’s managing an institution that may or may not grow, it’s a story about a mother, a wife and a daughter, and the guilt that women have to bear in making choices on a day to day basis.” - Sushmit Ghosh Time Stamps: 00:00 - Clip from Writing with Fire, showing Meera on a reporting assignment.    02:40 - How the filmmakers reacted to the Academy Awards shortlist. 04:30 - What the film is about. 06:20 - The background of the Dalit community and their position in India. 13:34 - What it’s like for the film protagonist Meera to live the life of a journalist. 17:15 - Who the other two main subjects of the film are.   22:18 - Second clip: Meera teaches Shyamkali how to use smartphone for her work.   24:35 - Where Writing with Fire can be seen. 29:31 - Whether Sushmit ever felt he and Rintu were endangered while filming. 33:10 - Political changes that have happened during the four years of filming. 36:43 - How Sushmit and Rintu got the idea for making this film. 41:25 - Reception to the film on the festival circuit and how it inspired people to take action. 47:30 - What’s next for Sushmit and Rintu. Resources:  Writing with Fire (2021)  MovieMaker Magazine Innersound Audio Alamo Pictures Connect with Sushmit Ghosh:  LinkedIn Instagram Connect with Factual America: Facebook Instagram Twitter Connect with Matthew Sherwood: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter More From Factual America: The First Wave: The Human Face of COVID-19 The Rescue: A Story of Bravery, Cave Diving & GenerosityThe Political Wit and Persona of Molly Ivins
Released:
Feb 9, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Factual America examines America through the lens of documentary filmmaking. Guests include Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy-winning documentary filmmakers and producers, their subjects, as well as experts on the American experience. Find out more about the current and upcoming documentaries on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Sky Documentaries and other platforms directly from the creators. Whether we discuss true crime, music, burning social and political topics, history, or arts, Factual America is your #1 documentary film podcast. Factual America is produced by Alamo Pictures, a London- and Austin-based production company that makes documentaries about the US from a European perspective for international audiences.