War Photographer

Stunning, shocking and beautiful, a "Pflicht-Film" about war photography and it's leading lenser James Nachtwey.

Originally commissioned for Swiss television, this documentary by Christian Frei may be hard to track down, but it might be one of the most memorable films you will ever see. More user comments probably will say "this film is not for the squeamish," but what we see here is the real-life inferno of war and poverty. And if you have never been subject to war and poverty you HAVE to see (Nachtwey's) photography, which demonstrates what the human race is capable of and what it looks like...

I watched this film and was riveted throughout. The image quality is very high. Watching James Nachtwey work in silence with total dedication and focus while flames crackle in the background... this film is a masterpiece of understated intensity. Everybody has seen this photographers images - they just may not realize who the author of those images are. Watch this film to find out why one (and many other) individual takes the risks and endures the hardships to freeze-frame and expose the uglier sides of human nature.

"What kind of a person could do that?" is a question that often occurs to me when I see a photograph from a battle zone, or one which depicts ordinary people in excruciating distress. This film shows us a person who takes such photographs, one who crosses physical and emotional boundaries to places most of us wouldn't dare to approach even at a great distance.

The photographer, James Nachtwey, is a cool, philosophical individual, motivated by the goodness he feels motivates humanity--in spite of the horrors he deals with on the killing fields. We have all come across the trashy photos that adorn the covers of National Enquirer, pictures that titillate and appeal to our worst natures--Nachtwey's hard-earned photos do just the opposite--they appeal to our compassion, are meant to give us insight into the human condition, the humanity we all share--and in doing so elevate all of us, enrich humanity.

War Photographer is often a frankly brutal film, but it's overall impact is significantly uplifting. One greatly admires James Nachtway for his goals and is astonished by his photography.

This film is incredible and shows the power of one man. Nachtwey has dedicated his life to being a war photographer and shows how one man can help shape public opinion with the power of images. As was the case in Vietnam, photos can be very subversive since they show the falseness and fraud of the government's official line or 'spin' on stories.

And thus we see that in the war in Iraq the gov't is keeping a tight lid on images. Once you see pictures of a 4 year old boy in a morgue with his limbs blown off, the generals and the politicians cannot, no matter how hard they try, justify it. this is why Al Jazeera has become the boogeyman of the west.

once people see enough of these images, they cannot support war any longer. this, i believe, is Nachtwey's vision and his struggle.

Excellent film about Nachtway and photographic journalism in general.It also shows how difficult it is to work under great stress and murky ethical conditions. This film reminds us that there is a tricky line between being involved and 'being involved'. I loved the way the director sometimes takes the point of view of Nachtways camera. It turns the audience into voyeurs with the same moral and ethical questions now bestowed upon us. Nachtway dedicated his life to his work and we see glimpses of both compassion and emotional detachment in his work. I think this film most of all shows the price we pay for the news.