War Photographer

Colour, 35mm
Switzerland, 2001, 97 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

Christian Frei’s documentary portrays the life and work of world famous war photographer James Nachtwey. As a young man, he had already resolved to devote his career to photographing the suffering, war, poverty and lawlessness people have to face all over the world, deciding in the process to sacrifice his private life in order to accomplish this. The director accompanies Nachtwey to Kosovo, Palestine and Indonesia where he witnesses his subject capture enormous suffering and pain on camera. Nachtwey himself adds: “When I was there, I felt like running away at any given moment. I didn’t want to see all this. I was persecuted by the question: should I just take off and leave it all behind, or come to terms with my responsibility to remain here with my camera?” Christian Frei also talks to Nachtwey’s colleagues and friends, whose testimonies complete the picture of a man who certainly doesn’t correspond with our usual notions of the hardened war veteran.