Few names in modern photojournalism carry the weight of Lynsey Addario’s. Known for her fearless coverage of conflict zones, Addario has spent over two decades documenting the human cost of war, from Afghanistan to Iraq, from Darfur to Libya.
Now, her extraordinary life and work are at the centre of a new National Geographic documentary directed by Oscar-winning filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi.
Officially selected for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the film turns the lens on Addario as she documents the war in Ukraine while reflecting on her remarkable career. The brief synopsis on the TIFF website reads: "Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin turn the camera on Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Lynsey Addario as she documents the war in Ukraine and looks back on her career."
Above: A video clip from the documentary Love+War
A newly released clip offers a tense glimpse into the story. Caught under attack in Ukraine, Addario and her team take cover inside a house as shell fire echoes outside. When the danger subsides, she emerges to find locals continuing with their daily routines; a child pedalling casually through the streets, seemingly unfazed by the bombardment. It’s a chilling reminder of how communities living under constant threat adapt, and how violence can tragically become normalised.
For Addario, in addition to the immediate danger in the field, every assignment carries immense personal stakes. Her work demands leaving her family behind, sometimes for weeks or months at a time, to witness and record history as it unfolds in its most harrowing form. It’s a balance between duty and sacrifice that has defined her career.
If there’s anyone who can capture the razor’s edge between life and death with sensitivity and cinematic power, it’s Chin and Vasarhelyi, the creative duo behind Free Solo and The Rescue. With no release date announced yet, this promises to be one of the most anticipated photography-related documentaries of the year.
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