Maxism according to…

Whistleblowers play a critical role in contemporary society, bringing truth to power. Yet their contributions are seldom celebrated; in fact they often face the wrath of governments and the powerful with little support. Max Watts was a refugee from Nazism as a child; an experience which empowered him to become both an activist and a largely self taught investigative journalist who reported on many of the key political struggles of the 20th century. As an emerging journalist in Germany in the 1960’s he met his first whistleblower whose story he helped publish in the New York Times. In his later years he was the Pacific representative of Reporter Without Borders. His work reporting on the rights of people in struggle is both inspiring and an engrossing story of the crucial role of the fiercely independent journalist.

‘Maxism according to…’ (Working Title)seeks to promote a better understanding of the role of an individual in the pursuit of justice.
The life of active engagement of Max Watts, a Viennese-born Jew, covers the gamut of key human rights and political struggles of the 20th Century.
Fuelled by his experience as a refugee child, he turned the persecution he experienced into a positive force for good, working for a world based on the equality of all human beings and against hatred, oppression and discrimination.

The outcomes of viewing a documentary which tackles both the personal and the political – as seen through the lived experience of one individual and those around him at different stages of his life – are centred around a change or shift in attitude towards refugees, and an understanding and awareness of the Power of One to initiate change and make an impact. If conveyed powerfully in a film, it can have strong impacts on audiences who might otherwise feel overwhelmed with the question of how the individual can make a difference in the face of a complex and rapidly changing world.

We are developing relationships with organisations as the project evolves. It is at Post Production stage now and approaches will be made as clarity about the kind of organisations which support the role of whistle blowers and the work of journalists.

1. Audiences could be motivated to support the rights of the world’s journalists who increasingly face a more dangerous working environment

2. Audiences could be motivated to better comprehend the challenges of life as a refugee, which could inspire them to join a refugee support group etc

3. Audiences, through the recognition of the nuances and struggles of the refugee/or the ground breaking journalist could be motivated to support the relevant campaigns for refugee and journalists rights. We will develop these during the post production phase of the film.