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War Photographer

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Switzerland · 2001
1h 36m
Director Christian Frei
Starring James Nachtwey, Christiane Amanpour, Hans-Hermann Klare, Christiane Breustedt
Genre Documentary

For over 20 years, photojournalist James Nachtwey has traveled to war-torn countries such as Kosovo and Rwanda, capturing the destruction on film. While merely an observer, he still feels the immediate effects of the ravaged lands. The stark images are contrasted by Nachtwey's calm reserve as he fends off accusations of exploiting tragedy.

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What are people saying?

What are critics saying?

50

The A.V. Club by

The scenes of death, starvation, and destruction are affecting, but they don't say much about the actual subject of the film.

90

The New York Times by Dana Stevens

Documenting war is a small, partial but indispensable step toward its eventual eradication. Mr. Frei's quiet, engrossing film is a sad and stirring testimony to this vision and to the quiet, self-effacing heroism with which Mr. Nachtwey has pursued it.

70

Village Voice by Jessica Winter

The photographer's show-don't-tell stance is admirable, but it can make him a problematic documentary subject. War Photographer infers the psychological and physical toll of his peripatetic existence, but provides scant insight into his technique.

80

TV Guide Magazine by Ken Fox

Frei assembles a fascinating profile of a deeply humanistic artist who, in spite of all that he's witnessed, remains surprisingly idealistic, and retains an extraordinary faith in the ability of images to communicate the truth of the world around him.

75

Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington

Finally, the film answers a question that obviously haunts Nachtwey: Is it immoral, callous or irresponsible to win fame and recognition from images of the terror, death and suffering of others?

90

New York Magazine (Vulture) by Peter Rainer

What's remarkable is how often the photographer's subjects allow themselves to be caught on film; it's as if they understood implicitly that Nachtwey was there not only to agitate for reform but to memorialize their agony. He does both.

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