Indian Documentary ‘Writing With Fire’ Wins Peabody Award for Impactful Storytelling

The Indian documentary film, Writing With Fire, has won the prestigious Peabody Award, which recognizes impactful narratives in the online, radio, and television mediums. Directed by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, Writing With Fire is a groundbreaking film that tells the story of a group of Dalit women who run a rural newspaper called Khabar Lahariya.

The film, which was the first Indian documentary to score an Oscar nomination in the category, highlights the challenges and obstacles these women face as they convert their print newspaper into a successful digital medium. In doing so, it sheds light on issues of patriarchy and gender violence that are pervasive in Indian society.

The film not only tells the story of these brave women but also shows how their work is making a difference in their community.

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who spoke with the filmmakers about the film, praised Writing With Fire for its groundbreaking approach to journalism. She called it “a revelation in all kinds of ways” and emphasized the importance of literacy in breaking down barriers to journalism.

As more women filmmakers in India and around the world continue to tell their stories, we can hope for more groundbreaking films like Writing With Fire that challenge the status quo and promote social change.

Re reported from the story originally published in The Indian Express