Hi All The documentary by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh (they are a husband-wife team who live in Delhi) that was the underdog nominee at this year's Oscars was screened last night on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). 11pm. Hope those in the Buffalo-Toronto area watched it. It may be repeated this evening at 10 pm??? Under the program title of Independent Lens.
The filming crew were only 3. Rintu and Sushmit and another camera man. Highlights the 3 Dalit women journalists- Meera, Suneeta, Shyamkali. How they go into hostile spaces yet determinedly get what they are seeking with their interviews; and probing questions (why do you think a cow means more than a woman? a question to a young man fervently entrenched in Hindu nationalism; his reply was mind boggling). Their gentleness and firmness with introducing the digital experience ie smartphones to other Dalit women. It is a loaded documentary:- powerful/ poignant/ humourous/ full of bravado/nerve and charm/ a stillness unlike seen among many present-day journalists/ determination/ unafraid to push back or leap-frog boundaries. They have such lovely smiles. Slightly less than 1 1/2 hour. (Btw --Their paper is called Khabar Lahariya (News Wave); apparently available on YouTube). A
