John Richard Pilger is an acclaimed Australian journalist, broadcaster and documentary filmmaker who has made a tremendous impact on the global political landscape. He has been reporting from conflict zones since his early days as a war correspondent in Vietnam, where he developed a critical eye for the imperialist agendas of major powers. Criticizing not just the foreign policy decisions of the United States, Australia and Britain, he has also exposed institutional racism and neo-colonialism at home through his coverage of Indigenous Australians’ struggle for justice.
For decades now, Pilger’s work has been gracing the pages of British publications such as The Guardian and Daily Mirror, while his fortnightly column in New Statesman magazine provides readers with an incisive analysis of current affairs. His documentaries have earned him prestigious awards including two Journalist of the Year Awards in Britain, and several honorary doctorates. Most recently, his 2019 documentary ‘The War on Democracy’ was met with both critical acclaim and controversy due to its searing critique of US foreign policies in Latin America and beyond.
It is no surprise then that Pilger receives standing ovations wherever he goes – be it at award ceremonies or film festivals around the world – or that his films receive widespread broadcast all over the world. The power of his journalism lies not only in its fearless criticism but also its incredible capacity to make even those thousands of miles away from these issues feel affected by them. So if you haven’t seen any of John Richard Pilger’s documentaries yet; you should definitely give one a try!
