War Photographer
In support of James Nachtwey's <i>Memoria</i>
About the Event
For over two years Swiss filmmaker Christian Frei follows Nachtwey around the world, uncovering compassionate and unsettling images from some of the most incendiary spots on the globe — the burning farmhouses of Kosovo, the homeless and hungry of Indonesia, a battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian youth on the West Bank. Frei has created an enthralling yet solemn film about the renowned photographer’s daily routine and also his primary motivations, fears and beliefs.
Interviews with colleagues, including CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, help describe the remarkable personality of James Nachtwey. Hardly fitting the standard description of a hard-boiled war veteran, instead Nachtwey is a shy, unobtrusive man with the distinction of a philosophy professor and an inner reserve that have allowed him to persevere through the horrors he uncovers and records.
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.
OSCAR NOMINATION, Best Documentary Feature 2002
PEABODY AWARD, Georg Foster Peabody Award 2003
EMMY AWARD NOMINATION, Cinematography 2004
WINNER of 16 International Awards and Nominations 2002-2004
photo credit: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mostar, 1993 © James Nachtwey Archive, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth