‘WHILE WE WATCHED’ BRINGS JOURNALISTIC HEROISM TO THE CLAIRIDGE

Wed 19 July 2023:

Montclair Film is bringing journalistic heroism to The Clairidge for one night only. With pessimism about democracy and the viability of journalism in the US at historic lows, it’s right on time.

The much lauded WHILE WE WATCHED will be screened on Monday, July 24 at 7:30 PM, followed by a Q&A with director Vinay Shukla and the documentary subject, Ravish Kumar. Montclair resident Thom Powers (DOCNYC, Toronto International Film Festival) will moderate the discussion. At a time when global press freedom and journalistic integrity feels fragile and boxed in, While We Watched shares unvarnished inspiration, perseverance, and dignity in asserting truth.

The fast-paced documentary follows NDTV anchor Rivesh Kumar, as he attempts to report factual news and continue as a truth-teller to the Indian government in the face of inept governance and nationalistic policies. The cameras follow the varied stages of broadcast preparation, from fact-checking to interviews to going live. They also capture the wrenching moments of saying good-bye to colleagues over and over, sometimes because they choose to leave, other times because they are fired. Despair over revenue, advertising losses, and the comparison to flourishing news outlets that choose sensational or “party-line” broadcasts expose what Kumar is up against.

In India, Kumar is well-known with the name and face recognition a national cable anchor enjoys in the USA. His long-term experience and consistent work to report news from all sides with truth as a center earned Kumar the Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia’s Nobel Prize. He was with NDTV for almost 30 years, hosting several news programs and serving as senior director. Kumar resigned in November of 2022 after NDTV was taken over by the Adani Group, which has close ties to Prime Minister Modi. The personal responsibility Kumar feels for honest journalism – and the toll it takes – comes through in each frame of While We Watched.

Director Vinay Shukla creates a fast-paced record of how to resist the echo chamber of info-tainment the 24-hour news cycle has given us. Specifically focused on the media in India and the challenges of censorship and intimidation, While We Watched is both recognizable and relatable to anyone who has despaired at the gleeful attention “alternative facts” receive. In fact, Shukla’s inspiration for the film was that he had stopped watching the news due to a feeling of empty loneliness around the state of journalism. His well-received 2016 documentary, An Insignificant Man, had similar themes of anti-censorship and anti-corruption while fighting for integrity.

Bridging the significance of the documentary for India and our area, local immigrants from India have seen a foreboding change in what was once a vigorous Indian press culture to state-sponsored intimidation via physical and financial threats. Lavi Raghavan, of Glen Ridge, immigrated from India and returns twice a year. She sees Ravish Kumar as heroic because he chooses to speak out and uses his privilege for good. Raghavan warns, “American audiences should be aware that the fourth estate is not invincible. We should question who owns these large news corporations. What are their vested interests? If this could happen in a vibrant democracy (like India used to be) it could happen anywhere.”

Montclair journalist and film-maker Jaya Mahajan first saw While We Watched at DOCNYC where Shukla and Kumar spoke, and she is very pleased that Montclair audiences will have the same opportunity. Kumar is admired, she said, for his steadfast anti-establishment resolve in the face of threats and job loss. Mahajan adds, “While this documentary is a story of one journalist from India, it is also a celebration of the value of this unique profession. Ravish Kumar’s success and impact is a ray of hope for everyone who feels that mainstream journalism is stuck in a cesspool of right wing politics and capitalist interests.”

Thom Powers, who brought While We Watched to TIFF last year, points out that Montclair is deeply honored to have Ravish Kumar and director Vinay Shukla visiting from India for the screening. He hopes that “Montclair audiences will come away with a renewed appreciation of what it means to have a free press and take inspiration from Ravish to fight for its survival.”

WHILE WE WATCHED is screening at The Clairidge on Tuesday, July 24th at 7:30 PM, followed by a Q&A with the director and subject. Purchase tickets here: While We Watched

Source: baristanet.com

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