Writing With Fire

 

Meet the fearless women journalists of India’s only all-female newspaper. Nominated for an Academy Award.

 

 

In a cluttered news landscape dominated by men, emerges India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women. Armed with smartphones, Chief Reporter Meera and her journalists break traditions, be it on the frontlines of India’s biggest issues or within the confines of their homes, redefining what it means to be powerful.

In a male-dominated media landscape, the women journalists of India’s all-female Khabar Lahariya (“News Wave”) newspaper risk it all, including their own safety, to cover the country’s political, social, and local news from a women-powered perspective. From underground network to independent media empire—now with 10 million views on their YouTube site—they defy the odds to redefine power.

Writing With Fire premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it won two awards, the Audience Award and a Special Jury Award in the World Cinema Documentary category.

The Filmmakers

Rintu Thomas is an award-winning director-producer, whose debut feature documentary, Writing With Fire, won two awards at Sundance ’21 and is a NYT Critics Pick. A 2021 IDA Courage Under Fire Award honoree, Rintu is also an IDA Logan Elevate grantee and a Sundance Fellow.

Sushmit Ghosh is an award-winning director, cinematographer who co-founded Black Ticket Films, a film company invested in the power of storytelling. Sushmit’s debut feature documentary Writing With Fire is a double Sundance award winner.

Presented by Black Ticket Films

~ “The most inspiring journalism movie – maybe ever” The Washington Post

~ “Rousing…Nothing short of galvanizing” The New York Times Critics Pick

~ “Vital, stimulating” LA Times