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Writing with Fire

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Writing with Fire is a 2021 Indian documentary film directed by filmmakers Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas about the journalists running the Dalit women led newspaper Khabar Lahariya, as they shift from 14-years of print to digital journalism using smartphones. It is the first Indian feature documentary to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.[3]

Writing With Fire
Directed by
Produced by
  • Sushmit Ghosh
  • Rintu Thomas
Cinematography
Edited by
  • Sushmit Ghosh
  • Rintu Thomas
  • Anne Fabini
    (supervising editor)
Music by
Production
company
Black Ticket Films
Distributed byMusic Box Films (United States)
Release date
  • 30 January 2021 (2021-01-30) (Sundance)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Box office₹ 16.58 lakh ($29,731)[1][2]

Produced under Ghosh and Thomas' Black Ticket Films banner, the film had its world premiere 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.[4] It received unanimous acclaim from film festivals and critics, winning several international awards and critical acclaim from the press. It was named a "Critics Pick" by The New York Times,[5] and Jason Rezaian at The Washington Post called it "the most inspiring journalism movie — maybe ever".[6] In 2023, Writing With Fire won a Peabody Award for Best Documentary Film,[7][8] making Rintu and Sushmit the first Indian filmmakers in the award's 83-year history to win this recognition.

Synopsis

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Writing with Fire tells the story of Khabar Lahariya, the only news agency in India run by Dalit (oppressed-caste) women. Armed with smartphones, these women journalists report from some of the most difficult regions of the country, risking everything to speak truth to power. Led by Chief Reporter Meera and her feisty understudy, crime reporter Suneeta, the film bears witness to the wit, intelligence and compassion of these journalists in confronting the most urgent stories of our times.

Set in the backdrop of an increasingly polarized world, Writing with Fire journeys with Meera and her band of sisters for five years - as they break traditions on the frontlines of India's biggest issues and within the confines of their homes, redefining what it truly means to be powerful.

Release

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Writing With Fire had its theatrical opening in November 2021 in New York (Film Forum), Los Angeles (Laemmle Royal), Chicago (Gene Siskel Film Center) and Austin (Austin Film Society)- making it the first Indian documentary film to have a US theatrical release. With the overwhelmingly positive critics reviews and audience response to the film’s opening week, screenings expanded to more cities across the US.[9][10]

Reception

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Critical reception

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The film has garnered a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics based on 51 reviews, with an average rating of 8.40/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Writing with Fire pays stirring tribute to the power of journalism -- and presents a chilling glimpse of the forces aligned against it."[11][12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 83 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[13]

Jessica Kiang from Variety reviewed the film as a "rousing, inspirational tribute to the pride of grassroots Indian journalism".[14] Inkoo Kang at The Hollywood Reporter called the film "insightful and inspirational".[15] while Kate Erbland at IndieWire reviewed it "profound".[16] The Los Angeles Times called the film "a vital, stimulating dispatch from the frontlines of consequential citizen journalism"[17] while the San Francisco Chronicle, giving the film a 5-star review, said "even Woodward and Bernstein would be inspired by the women reporters of India's Writing with Fire".[18]

Reception by Khabar Lahariya journalists

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The film and its impact was received positively by Kavita Devi, the co-founder of Khabar Lahariya, and various team members who appeared with the film at film festivals and conferences with the filmmakers over 14 months since its world premiere at Sundance.[19] Meera Devi, the main protagonist of Writing With Fire and Managing Editor of the news outlet, described the impact of the film as "From a global perspective, we have become a lot more popular since the film came out [in Sundance]. Both personally and professionally, it has really amplified the newspaper and its work. We have witnessed a completely different kind of popularity – and that is really good."[20] Describing the unique relevance of the film, filmmaker Shabani Hassanwalia, a board member of Khabar Lahariya wrote, "May this documentary, which follows three KL journalists through a critical phase of Khabar Lahariya’s evolution, be watched far and wide, and may it continue to do what great documentaries are made to do: bear witness to truths that help us see, for the first time."[21] Over a year later, once the film was nominated for an Academy Award, the organisation issued a statement criticising the film for presenting a simplified, incomplete profile of their work and "consuming focus of reporting on one party", which NPR identified as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's national ruling party. Srishti Mehra, outreach manager at Chambal Media, claimed that this "misrepresentation" could negatively affect the security and reputation of Khabar Lahariya and its journalists.[22]

Accolades

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Following its release, Writing with Fire was showcased at numerous film festivals and won several awards, including the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award: Impact for Change and the World Cinema Documentary Competition Audience Award at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.[4] In December 2021, it was announced that the film had entered the shortlist of candidates for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in the 94th Academy Awards in 2022,[23][24] and the next February it was announced that it had been nominated in this category.[3]

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards 27 March 2022 Best Documentary Feature Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Nominated [25]
Asia Pacific Screen Awards 11 November 2021 Best Documentary Feature Film Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Nominated [26]
Belfast Film Festival 13 November 2021 Maysles Brothers Award for Feature Documentary Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won
Bergen International Film Festival 28 October 2021 Checkpoints Award for Best Human Rights Documentary Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [27]
BlackStar Film Festival 9 August 2021 Best Documentary Feature Writing with Fire Won [28]
Audience Award – Best Documentary Feature Writing with Fire Won
Cinema Eye Honors 1 March 2022 Audience Choice Prize Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Nominated [29]
The Unforgettables Meera Devi Won
Cinema for Peace Awards Women's Empowerment Writing with Fire Won [30]
Dokufest 14 August 2021 Truth Dox Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [31][32]
Films from the South Festival 18 November 2021 Doc:South Award Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [33]
IDA Documentary Awards 4 March 2022 Best Feature Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Nominated [34][35]
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 26 November 2021 NPO IDFA Audience Award Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [36]
Kraków Film Festival 5 June 2021 Silver Horn for Best Film on Social Issues Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [37]
Kyiv International Film Festival "Molodist" 5 June 2021 Best Documentary Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [38]
Mountainfilm 31 May 2021 Special Jury Prize – Best Documentary Feature Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won
Peabody Awards 11 June 2023 Documentary Writing with Fire Won [39]
Producers Guild of America Awards 19 March 2022 Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Nominated [40]
San Francisco International Film Festival 17 April 2021 McBaine Documentary Feature Award Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [41]
Seattle International Film Festival 18 April 2021 Special Jury Prize – Documentary Competition Writing with Fire Won [42]
Social Impact Media Awards 10 February 2022 Best Documentary Writing with Fire Nominated [43][44][45]
Best Director Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won
Best Cinematography Sushmit Ghosh and Karan Thapliyal Won
Sundance Film Festival 2 February 2021 Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won [4]
World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award: Impact for Change Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh Won
Valladolid International Film Festival 30 October 2021 Time of History Award Writing with Fire Won [46]
Fundos Award Writing with Fire Won
Wisconsin Film Festival 20 May 2021 Audience Favorite Documentary Feature Writing with Fire Won [47][48]
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 14 October 2021 Citizens' Prize Writing with Fire Won [49]

References

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  1. ^ "Writing with Fire (2021)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Writing with Fire (2021)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b Ghosh, Tanushree (8 February 2022). "Oscar nominations 2022: Indian documentary Writing with Fire nominated in Best Documentary Feature category". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "2021 Sundance Film Festival Awards Announced". Sundance Institute. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. ^ Girish, Devika (25 November 2021). "Writing With Fire Review: Speaking Truth to Power". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  6. ^ Rezaian, Jason (1 February 2021). "Opinion: The most inspiring journalism movie — maybe ever". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Independent Lens: Writing with Fire". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  8. ^ "ITVS Brings Home Two Peabody Awards For Documentaries "Writing With Fire" And "Missing In Brooks County" | ITVS". itvs.org. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  9. ^ Saito, Stephen (26 November 2021). "Rintu Thomas & Sushmit Ghosh on Fierce Reportage in "Writing with Fire"". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Writing With Fire". International Films - Independent Films | Music Box Films. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Writing with Fire". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  12. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (28 July 2021). "Sundance Winner Writing With Fire Scores Raft of Global Sales, Reveals Trailer (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Writing with Fire". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  14. ^ Kiang, Jessica (5 February 2021). "Writing With Fire Review: Rousing, Inspirational Tribute to the Pride of Grassroots Indian Journalism". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  15. ^ Kang, Inkoo (31 January 2021). "Writing With Fire: Film Review | Sundance 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  16. ^ Erbland, Kate (3 February 2021). "Writing with Fire Review: Sundance World Cinema Doc Winner Is a Fearless Fight for Real News". IndieWire. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  17. ^ Abele, Robert (26 November 2021). "Resourceful and unafraid, these women journalists in India are Writing With Fire". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  18. ^ Johnson, G. Allen (1 December 2021). "Even Woodward and Bernstein would be inspired by the women reporters of India's Writing With Fire". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  19. ^ "Courage Under Fire Award: 'Writing With Fire' Team on Finding Hope in the Unlikeliest Place". International Documentary Association. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  20. ^ Macnab, Geoffrey (23 November 2021). "IDFA Best of Fests interview: Meera Devi, main protagonist of Writing With Fire". Business Doc Europe. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  21. ^ AC, Annie (15 February 2022). "The origin story of Khabar Lahariya and with it the Oscar nominated 'Writing with Fire'". NWM India. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  22. ^ Pathak, Sushmita (26 March 2022). "'Writing With Fire' is up for an Oscar. But its subjects say they're misrepresented". NPR. Retrieved 26 March 2022 – via NPR.
  23. ^ Ghosh, Tanushree (23 December 2021). "Indian documentary Writing with Fire enters Oscars 2022 shortlist". The Indian Express. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  24. ^ "Pebbles out of Oscars 2022 race, Writing With Fire advances to next level". The Hindu. 22 December 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  25. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly; Strause, Jackie; Lewis, Hilary (8 February 2022). "Oscars: Full List of Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  26. ^ Complex, Valerie (12 October 2021). "Asia Pacific Screen Academy Announces Nominees For 14th Annual Awards Ceremony". Deadline. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  27. ^ "Årets prisvinnere!". Bergen International Film Festival (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  28. ^ Jeffrey, Andrew (11 August 2021). "Writing With Fire leads non-fiction winners at BlackStar Film Festival". Realscreen. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  29. ^ Grobar, Matt (10 November 2021). "Flee & Summer Of Soul Lead Cinema Eye Honors Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  30. ^ "Cinema for Peace Awards 2022". Cinema for Peace Foundation. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  31. ^ Petković, Vladan (17 August 2021). "We and Reconciliation triumph at DokuFest in Prizren". Cineuropa. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Winners of Dokufest XX". Dokufest. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  33. ^ "And the Winners are..." Films from the South Festival. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  34. ^ "Nominees Revealed for the 37th Annual IDA Documentary Awards". International Documentary Association. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  35. ^ Hipes, Patrick (6 January 2022). "IDA Awards Shifts 2022 Ceremony To March As Virtual-Only Event". Deadline. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  36. ^ "Writing with Fire wins the NPO IDFA Audience Award". International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  37. ^ "61st Krakow Film Festival Winners Announced". Kraków Film Festival. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  38. ^ "The Awards Ceremony". KIFF Molodist. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  39. ^ Coates, Tyler (9 May 2023). "Peabody Awards: Abbott Elementary, Andor, Severance and We're Here Among Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  40. ^ Pedersen, Erik (27 January 2022). "PGA Awards Nominations: Licorice Pizza, Don't Look Up, Dune, King Richard & CODA Among Pics Vying For Marquee Prize". Deadline. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  41. ^ "SFFILM Announces Golden Gate Awards and Audience Awards Winner at 2021 San Francisco International Film Festival". San Francisco International Film Festival. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  42. ^ "SIFF 2021 Award Winners". Seattle International Film Festival. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  43. ^ "#SIMA2022 Winners Announced". Social Impact Media Awards. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  44. ^ "2022 Winners". Social Impact Media Awards. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  45. ^ "2022 Finalists". Social Impact Media Awards. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  46. ^ Foreman, Liza (1 November 2021). "Pan Nalin's Last Film Show Tops Valladolid". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  47. ^ "Wisconsin Film Festival Awards". Wisconsin Film Festival. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  48. ^ "2021 Wisconsin Film Festival Film Guide" (PDF). Wisconsin Film Festival. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  49. ^ Cho, Suzie (15 October 2021). "Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2021 Announces Award Winners". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
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