24 Strong: A Fight For Press Freedom
- Harald House
- Jun 19, 2024
- 1 min read
We’re proud to co-produce 24 Strong, a documentary by Rieneke Van Santen, telling the urgent story of 24 journalists in Papua New Guinea who were fired from the national TV broadcaster for refusing to bow to censorship. Instead of backing down, they took a bold step by launching the country’s first independent investigative media outlet.
But their battle is far from over. These journalists, especially the women leading the organization, face constant political threats and one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world. Some have been forced into roadside survival jobs, yet they continue their fight for truth, justice, and accountability.
Director Rieneke Van Santen highlights the role of women at the heart of this struggle:
“What strikes me most in this story are the women. The men are doing the camera work, the editing. But it’s the women leading the organization, the investigations, and exposing corrupt businessmen and politicians. They are the ones getting the death threats for their work.”
She also sheds light on the other challenges they face:
“It’s not uncommon for female journalists to go out and report on social issues and injustice, only to return home and face more violence from their own husbands.”
As co-producers at Harald House, we are honored to help bring this story to the screen. 24 Strong is not just about press freedom - it’s about resilience, gender equality, and the courage to stand up against oppression. Through the personal journeys of these journalists, the film highlights the urgent need to protect independent media.
Information sourced from Business Doc Europe [14.06.2024]
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