A Baptism of Fire

Filmmaker Jérôme Clément-Wilz presents a harrowing portrait of the perils of news gathering in a volatile, violent world in this documentary focusing on Corentin Fohlen, a young French photojournalist who puts himself in danger by traveling to war-torn areas in order to cover raging conflicts first-hand. Fohlen is typical of a new breed of freelancers who take enormous risks as they rush into battle zones with their cameras--wearing helmets, gas masks, and flak jackets that afford some protection as they aim for the iconic shot that will win them worldwide attention. Filming over several years, Clément-Wilz followed Fohlen and his colleagues from one hot spot to another, beginning with the 2011 demonstrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square that toppled Hosni Mubarak and continuing into other regions touched by the Arab Spring, including the final months of the Gaddafi regime in Libya. Gradually, however, the attitude of exuberant camaraderie deepens into a wider recognition of how dangerous is their work, particularly after a colleague is killed during the bombardment of Homs in the Syrian civil war in 2012. This leads Fohlen to reassess his priorities, and he eventually decides to ply his trade in less combustible regions—covering post-earthquake aid efforts in Haiti, for example. One has to admire Clément-Wilz for placing himself in jeopardy alongside Fohlen in order to make such a hard-hitting film, and we should respect those who, regardless of reasons, are willing to put their lives on the line to show the rest of us living our comfortable lives what is really happening in places that are wracked by turmoil. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)