Love + War: The Duality of Being A War Correspondent

National Geographic’s new documentary Love + War focuses on the life of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario, as she navigates the war on Ukraine and her role as a journalist amidst human tragedy. Meanwhile, her family back home waits for her return in an ongoing cycle of anxiety and reunification. 

When I sat down with Addario, we discussed the title of the documentary and its reflection within the story. “It was like this sort of split within the context of war itself,” she said. “And so you see incredible acts of love and kindness and generosity and selflessness. And you see these horrific acts of violence and evil and war. And so having those both within that context.”

Addario’s story provides the lens through which war is perceived. She captures the stories of families grieving loss of home and life, the cultural numbness of living in an active war zone, and the small gestures of hope and kindness that keep communities thriving. The role of Addario as a journalist is complicated. Journalism rests on the outskirts of conflict, acting only in an objective capacity to tell the truth in its barest form. But now, she is at the center of the camera’s lens rather than behind it.

 “It’s really important to show the reality of what goes into this job,” she said. “You know, it’s not as glamorous as it’s often portrayed, and there are human beings both behind and in front of the camera. And that was really important to me. And so it is pretty raw, and it’s tough at times.” 

Love + War takes you through Addario’s journey, from her earliest days behind the camera, to uncovering maternal morality in Afghanistan in 2009, being kidnapped by extremists in 2011, and witnessing a Russian attack on Ukrainian citizens in 2022. Her photography captures people at their lowest moments, as well as unveils the realities of death and destruction that so many face. Yet, she remains hopeful, catching glimpses of joy within the lives of those torn apart by war. 

The documentary captures the tenacity of the human spirit, as Addario regularly plunges herself into the depths of violence and despair so that others may have a voice. Love + War  is about the split in Addario’s life and the lives of her subjects. Lynsey Addario serves as proof that wherever there is violence you will also find “incredible acts of  love and kindness and generosity and selflessness”. 

Love + War premieres on National Geographic on November 6th and will be available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu November 7th. Addario’s books It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War and Of Love & War are available through Penguin Press. Watch the trailer for Love + War here.

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Author: Abby Kirby

Abby Kirby is an English teacher and fan studies scholar. She holds an M.A. in Media and Cinema Communications from DePaul University.

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