Silenced – A Documentary Interview With Samantha Blanchard Writer, Director, Producer

Samantha Blanchard wrote, produced and directed the documentary Silenced, released at www.silenced.co.nz, at Easter this year.

Samantha holds a degree in broadcast journalism and writes for a local print publication in the Tasman region. Silenced is her first documentary: a gentle introduction to the imbalance of reporting and the silencing of dissenting voices when one simple narrative was followed along by mainstream media during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Silenced is a must watch for those interested in thinking again about the possible benefits and possible harms we experienced in the COVID era. If we get a similar situation again hopefully this film will better arm you with a wider perspective to make sense of what happened.”

~AUT Professor of Public Health, Grant Schofield

“We also need free listening. We need, Winston Churchill said, takes a lot of bravery to stand up and speak out, but it also takes bravery to sit down and listen.”

“What people do need to do in these times, I think, is to look at both sides. And obviously we need, we're not being given the mechanism to do that, but people need to go and search for it and see if they can hold another perspective.”

“If you avoid the thing that you are fearing, then you will continue to fear it. The only way through fear is to approach and face the thing that you are fearing.”