War Feels Like War Explained

Director:Esteban Uyarra
Starring:P. J. O'Rourke
Stephanie Sinclair
Language:English
Num Episodes:1
Producer:Esteban Uyarra
Cinematography:Esteban Uyarra
Runtime:59 minutes
Company:In Focus Productions

War Feels Like War is a 2004 British documentary film. Made for BBC Storyville[1] [2] and TV 2 (Denmark),[3] it was broadcast in the United States as part of the P.O.V. series.[4] The film "portrays journalists who covered the war in Iraq without the cover of helmets, bullet-proof vests, or the American military."[5]

For three months, in Iraq, Spanish filmmaker Esteban Uyarra[6] [7] [8] followed Jacek Czarnecki, Bengt Kristiansen, Jan Kruse, P.J. O'Rourke,[9] [10] and Stephanie Sinclair,[11] five reporters and photographers, from Denmark, Norway, Poland, and the United States. These journalists circumvented military media control to get access to a different perspective on the Iraq War. As the Coalition of the willing swept into Iraq, some journalists in Kuwait decided to travel in their wake, risking their lives to discover the impact of war on civilians.[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

The journalists include author P. J. O'Rourke, who was working for ABC Radio, as well as reporters and photographers for news operations ranging from Poland's Radio Zet to Stephanie Sinclair, a photographer for the Chicago Tribune.

Plot

In the film, journalist crews are first seen trying to avoid being penned up in Kuwait City as the war is about to break. Other journalists repeatedly try to get through military zones to capture what is happening.

Once these journalists make it into Iraq, they capture troops at their frazzled ends, cussing. A journalist described a Scud missile "whizzing" by is artfully juxtaposed with a shot of a string of photographers taking a "whiz".

The reporters themselves wrestle with grisly images and the effect it may have on their humanity. One journalist admits she felt, "I'm in over my head", but presses on. Later, she says of a tragic scene she has just witnessed, "If that doesn't affect you, you should find something else to do. That shit should always affect you." The U.S. later bombs the Baghdad hotel where these journalists are staying. After the gunfire stops, a Polish journalist files a radio report that says, "It doesn't look good", adding that a Marine has told him "too many people still have weapons."[18] [19]

Awards and film critics' views

War Feels Like War was awarded Honourable Mention for Best International Documentary by the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[20] [21]

In addition, it was shortlisted for the Silver Wolf Competition in the 2003 International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and was awarded the Jury Prize at the 2004 MovieEye Festival in Moscow.

Esteban Uyarra was also nominated in the Best Newcomer category in the 2004 Grierson British Documentary Awards.

The New York Times wrote:

Baltimore Sun television critic David Zurawik stated:

David Kronke of the Daily News of Los Angeles states:

M. S. Mason of The Christian Science Monitor states:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: War Feels Like War . . . 20 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040516132431/https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/storyville/war-feels-like-war.shtml . 16 May 2004.
  2. Web site: Fighting the War; Wed 17th Mar 2004, 23:25 ; BBC Two England . Programme Index . 17 March 2004 . BBC . 20 April 2022 . 3/3. The Ground War. Following the allied troop deployment from the start of war, a year ago this week, to toppling Saddam. (Revised rpt) War Feels like War, on journalists in Iraq, is on BBC4 at 12.20am.
  3. Web site: War Feels Like War . In Focus Productions . 20 April 2022.
  4. Web site: Film Description - War Feels Like War . POV . PBS . 23 January 2004.
  5. Web site: Tabeling . Petra . When War Feels Like War . Qantara.de . 21 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040611210045/http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-310/_nr-43/i.html . 11 June 2004 . 2004 . Translation from German: Christina M. White.
  6. Web site: about us . Uyarra Films . 20 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041009194954/http://www.uyarrafilms.co.uk/index2.htm . 9 October 2004.
  7. Web site: war feels like war . Uyarra Films . 20 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041009224410/http://www.uyarrafilms.co.uk:80/index3.htm . 9 October 2004.
  8. Web site: War Feels Like War 2004 . Uyarra Films . 20 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081017195802/http://www.uyarrafilms.co.uk/war.htm . 17 October 2008.
  9. Web site: O'Rourke . P. J. . P. J. O'Rourke . The Backside of War . . 21 April 2022 . en . 1 December 2003.
  10. Web site: O'Rourke . P. J. . P. J. O'Rourke . The Backside of War . The Atlantic Monthly . 20 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040622175728/http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1058569/posts . 22 June 2004 . December 2003.
  11. Web site: Sinclair . Stephanie . Stephanie Sinclair . baghdad . steph:blog . . 20 April 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050305170928/http://www.stephaniesinclair.com/journal/index.php?cat=1 . 5 March 2005.
  12. Caryn. James. 21 May 2004. The War's Dark Side: Filling In the Blanks. The New York Times. 1.
  13. Web site: War Feels Like War. pbs.org. 2006-09-05.
  14. 29 January 2005. Film: The Five Best Revivals. The Independent. 25.
  15. Lindsay. Gibb. September 2004. Hot Docs (4/23-5/2/04). Canadian Business and Current Affairs Take One. 13. 46. 50–51. 1192-5507.
  16. Heather. Logue. 22 September 2004. Counting the Fall Fish. Seattle Weekly. 15.
  17. David. Zurawik. 6 July 2004. Seeing war on their own; 'P.O.V' reports on reporters; TV Preview. The Baltimore Sun. 1D.
  18. Roger. Catlin. 6 July 2004. CBS Gets Real With Fifth 'Amazing Race,' 'Big Brother'. Hartford Courant (Connecticut).
  19. David. Kronke. 4 July 2004. The Daily News Watch-O-Rama; Highlights And Lowlights Of The Coming TV Week. The Daily News of Los Angeles. U11.
  20. Tamsen. Tillson. 3 May 2004. War is Hot Docs touchstone. Daily Variety. 15.
  21. Etan. Vlessing. 5 April 2004. Hot Docs! putsfocus on int'l war, terror. The Hollywood Reporter.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "War Feels Like War".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.