Cleveland International Film Festival } March 30 – April 10, 2022

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Writing with Fire

Year: 2021
Country: INDIA
Run Time: 93 minutes

Within India’s caste system, most people are divided into four hierarchical categories: priests, warriors, traders, and labourers. But the “untouchables” or Dalits are considered so impure they are excluded from the caste system entirely. For thousands of years Dalits, and especially Dalit women, have fallen victim to violence and oppression, without a voice or a platform to tell their stories. But all of that is changing with the publication of a newspaper entirely run by Dalit women. Khabah Lahariya meaning Waves of News, has been sharing the vital stories from the unseen citizens of India since 2002. The controversial newspaper has recently expanded to reach a wider audience through a shift to digital mediums, and currently has over 150 million views on YouTube. In a country plagued by violence against women, these brave female journalists do this incredible work at great personal risk to themselves and their families, stopping at nothing to create a reliable newsource. Powerful, bold, and inspiring, WRITING WITH FIRE follows the growth, success, and challenges of the only newspaper in India produced entirely by women. (In Hindi with subtitles) — G.S.