Introduction

War Photographer is a documentary by Christian Frei about the photographer James Nachtwey.

As well as telling the story of an iconic man in the field of war photography, the film addresses the broader scope of ideas common to all those involved in war journalism, as well as the issues that they cover.

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Outline

One of the main themes of the documentary is the level to which a journalist should become involved in the events that they are there to document. James Nachtwey credits the intimacy of his photography to his emphasis on establishing a rapport with his subjects, often despite a significant language barrier. Des Wright, a cameraman with Reuters, describes the problem of being too far removed from what is happening. Discussing a video reel of President Suharto’s resignation and a police crackdown on protesters, he notes: “[Some journalists] say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m a journalist, I’m not a part of this.’ And I say, but you are a part of it. I think a lot of people would be quite happy for that man to be killed so they can get the particular picture that they want.”

The documentary uses footage filmed with a small “microcam” video camera mounted on Nachtwey’s SLR cameras. This allows the viewer to see the events from the perspective of the photographer.

Cast

• James Nachtwey … Photographer.
• Christiane Amanpour … Self – Chief International Correspondent CNN.
• Hans-Hermann Klare … Foreign Editor STERN Magazine.
• Christiane Breustedt … Editor in Chief GEO SAISON Magazine.
• Des Wright … Cameraman REUTERS.
• Denis O’Neill … Screenwriter/Jim’s Best Friend.

Trivia

• The documentary won a 2003 Peabody Award, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2002 and an Emmy Award in 2004.
• It also won or was nominated for more than 40 other awards internationally.
• Events and locations depicted in the film:
  • Post-war Kosovo.
  • Poverty and riots in Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • Ramallah, the West Bank.
  • A sulfur mine at Ijen in East Java, Indonesia.
  • New York City, New York, United States.
  • Hamburg, Germany.
  • Thokoza, South Africa.

Production & Filming Details

• Presenter(s):
• Director(s): Christian Frei.
• Producer(s): Christian Frei, Madaleine Hirsiger, Paul Riniker, and Osnat Trabelsi.
• Writer(s):
• Music: Eleni Karaindrou, Arvo Part, and David Darling.
• Cinematography: Peter Indergand and James Nachtwey (microcam).
• Editor(s): Christian Frei.
• Production: Christian Frei Filmproductions, Schweizer Fernsehen (FS), Suissimage, and Swiss National Television.
• Distributor(s): Look Now! (Switzerland).
• Release Date: November 2001 (US).
• Running time: 96 minutes.
• Country: Switzerland.
• Language: English, German, and French.

Video Link