189: India's Trail-Blazing Director Anand Patwardhan

Indian documentary film has been gaining world renown with Peabody Awards, Oscar nominations and other recognition. A key trailblazer for this movement is Anand Patwardhan who has grappled with India's most hot button political issues in films such as "Reason" and "Father, Son and the Holy War." Now in his 70s, he's releasing his most personal film "The World is Family." He profiles his parents whose lives were intertwined with India's fight for independence. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviewed Anand at the Toronto International Film Festival where "The World is Family" made its debut. Anand's next festival stop is the New York Indian Film Festival on June 1. See this article in Indiewire where esteemed Indian directors including Shaunak Sen and Vinay Shukla pay tribute to Anand. For more coverage of the documentary scene, subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices. On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

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If you love documentary films, hear from the top storytellers on Pure Nonfiction. Host Thom Powers is well-connected in this world as a documentary curator for the Toronto International Film Festival, DOC NYC, and SundanceNow Doc Club. He leads conversations that are frank, funny and revealing. Listen to interviews with Oscar-winning filmmakers Barbara Kopple, Alex Gibney, and Roger Ross Williams; as well as the directors of “Making a Murderer,” “Weiner” and “OJ: Made in America.” Often the stories behind the scenes are as dramatic as what’s on the screen. On Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @purenonfiction. Subscribe now.