Award-winning duo launches indie for truth-telling docs

Gesbeen Mohammad and Robin Barnwell, acclaimed producer-directors with multiple awards, have established Sisu Pictures, a new independent production company. The venture is committed to "taking on the stories of the year," particularly those requiring in-depth investigation and occurring in regions difficult for journalists to access. Sisu Pictures emphasizes facts and verification, often tackling retrospective documentaries to explore major past events from a human perspective.

Their inaugural films, "Iran: The People's Story" and "The Taliban's War on Women," exemplify this mission. Both documentaries delve into authoritarian regimes, with the former examining dissent in Iran and the latter exposing the realities faced by women under Taliban rule. These films highlight the challenges of reporting on such topics, often necessitating covert filming and a commitment to delivering truth amidst growing global misinformation.

The founders established Sisu Pictures to maintain creative vision and control over budgets in a shrinking market for current affairs programming. They aim to produce serious, boutique films by raising capital independently and collaborating with international co-producers like Arte. This approach allows them to navigate the current landscape where full funding from a single broadcaster for complex documentaries is increasingly rare.

Mohammad and Barnwell are committed to journalistic impartiality, dedicating significant time to fact verification. They acknowledge the challenges of maintaining objectivity in the social media age, where pressure to comment can blur lines between activism and reporting. Sisu Pictures' guiding principle is to "report the facts fairly and complete the work," ensuring transparency with viewers about their perspectives and reporting methods.