9 Movies Every Photographer Should Watch
Yvan Cohen
Thu Dec 12 2024
Considering how central photography is to all our lives, how images have populated our newspapers and newsfeeds, it is surprising how few movies feature photography in a starring role.
The following list isn't exhaustive and is subjective. If you haven't seen any movies where photography and photographers play a central role, this selection will deliver stories and characters (a number of them based on real life photographers) that are inspirational and informative.
The photojournalist, and particularly, the war photographer is unsurprisingly the most popular subject for the big studios, who play up the drama and romantic and adventurous aspects of war photography and photojournalism, while generally glossing over the more complex ethical and emotional issues confronted by photographers in the field.
1. Salvador (1986)
Struggling to find work in the US due to his issues with alcohol and drugs, photojournalist Richard Boyle (played by James Woods) heads to El Salvador with his DJ friend, Doctor Rock (James Belushi), hoping to cover the country's brutal civil war. While trying to capture the conflict between the right-wing military and guerilla forces, Boyle forms tense alliances with both sides and faces the personal challenge of protecting his Salvadoran girlfriend amid the rising violence. As the situation worsens and violence spirals, he realizes he may need to leave, but his relationship makes a clean exit complicated.
2. Under Fire (1983)
Set against the turbulent backdrop of Nicaragua in 1979, three journalists find themselves entangled in a web of political intrigue and personal conflict during the fall of the corrupt Somoza regime. As two correspondents document the revolution's final days, the death of a fellow American reporter pushes them to take an active role in the uprising. Amid the chaos, they grapple with their shifting loyalties, the blurred lines between personal and professional ethics, and the complexities of their romantic triangle.
3. The Bang Bang Club (2010)
The Bang Bang Club movie poster
Based on real events, this drama follows four fearless photojournalists—Greg Marinovich, Kevin Carter, Ken Oosterbroek, and Joao Silva—who risked their lives to document the brutal end of apartheid in South Africa. As they captured powerful images of the violence and atrocities, these photographers put themselves directly in the line of danger to reveal the intense reality of the struggle.
Read more about Kevin Carter
4. Lee (2023)
Lee tells the extraordinary story of American photographer Lee Miller, who transformed from a fashion model into a daring war correspondent for Vogue during WWII. Directed by Ellen Kuras and starring Kate Winslet, the film captures Miller's fearless journey documenting wartime horrors, including her iconic shot in Hitler's bathtub. Known for her empathy toward women and war victims, Miller's images captured both vulnerability and resilience. Driven by a relentless pursuit of truth, she ultimately faces a buried trauma from her past, highlighting the personal toll of her relentless quest for justice.
Read our film review of Lee
5. A Thousand Times Goodnight (2013)
A Thousand Times Goodnight movie poster
In this compelling drama, Rebecca (Juliette Binoche), a renowned war-zone photojournalist, finds her passion for capturing conflict clashing with her family's needs. While her husband (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and daughters crave her presence and safety, Rebecca struggles to balance her dangerous career with her deep love for them, leading to an emotional reckoning that tests her priorities and relationships.
6. Minamata (2020)
Based on true events, acclaimed war photographer W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) embarks on a transformative journey back to Japan in 1971 to document the tragic effects of mercury poisoning in the coastal city of Minamata, caused by industrial negligence from the Chisso Corporation. Once a celebrated photojournalist, Smith has become a recluse, but a secret assignment from Life magazine editor Robert Hayes (Bill Nighy) reignites his passion. With the help of a dedicated Japanese translator, Aileen (Minami), and the resilient local community, Smith captures powerful images that bring to light the human suffering caused by Minamata Disease, turning his assignment into a life-altering mission for justice.
7. Civil War (2024)
In the dystopian thriller "Civil War," written and directed by Alex Garland, a team of military-embedded journalists embark on a perilous journey from New York City to Washington, D.C., amid a raging civil war in 2024. As the nation is torn apart by conflict between an authoritarian federal government and various regional factions, the journalists must race against time to reach the capital before rebel forces storm the White House, capturing the chaotic landscape of a fractured America along the way.
Read our film review of Civil War
8. Blow-Up (1966)
In this gripping mystery, fashion photographer Thomas (David Hemmings) leads a glamorous yet unfulfilling life in London, filled with fashion and pop culture. Everything changes when he captures a seemingly innocent moment in a park, only to later discover a chilling detail in the photograph that suggests he may have inadvertently documented a murder. As he meticulously examines the negatives, he uncovers ambiguous images that hint at something sinister, including a shadow that resembles a gun. Adding to the intrigue, the mysterious woman from the photo (Vanessa Redgrave) arrives at his studio, insisting on getting the pictures, drawing him deeper into a web of suspense.
9. The Killing Fields (1984)
The Killing Fields movie poster
Set during the Khmer Rouge's horrific 'Year Zero' campaign in Cambodia, this story follows New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterston) and his Cambodian interpreter, Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), as they document the chaos of the civil war. While Schanberg, as an American, can leave safely, Pran makes the fateful decision to stay behind to continue reporting. As U.S. forces withdraw and the Khmer Rouge advances, Pran's decision places him in grave danger, highlighting the sacrifices made by local journalists who risk everything to reveal the truth.
Written by Yvan Cohen | Yvan has been a photojournalist for over 30 years. He's a co-founder of LightRocket and continues to shoot photo and video projects around Southeast Asia.
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