Visiting Filmmakers Series: Kandahar Journals and Louie Palu 22 Feb 7:30pm JCC

Visiting Filmmakers Series: Kandahar Journals and Louie Palu 22 Feb 7:30pm JCC

Kandahar Journals, by Louie Palu and Devin Gallagher (2015)

On Monday, 22 February at 7:30pm JCC

Free screening and Q&A with Louie Palu 

 

Kandahar Journals follows photojournalist Louie Palu's experience while covering the war in Kandahar from 2006 to 2010 and then, its aftermath. With a narrative spine built on Louie's personal journals written in Kandahar, the film traces the chaos of the war, using combat footage shot and directed by Louie Palu, as well as the banality of everyday life back home in North America, directed by Devin Gallagher.

These two strands offer an intimate view into the experience of a combat photographer. The film goes on to explore Louie's life-long interest in understanding war connected to his family's experience and his formative years as a photographer.

Over time, Louie is transformed by the war as the violence increases. The longer he covers the war, the more he realizes the disconnection that exists with the public back home, the war and himself. By the end of the film, he realizes that photography is but an imperfect means to convey the personal experience of war.

"The way we constructed the narrative was so that my experiences and my camera became a window to the war for the viewer," says Louie Palu. "We created a term for our editing process called 'psychological space,' and we experimented with what that would look like if you were in a photojournalist’s mind while they experienced trauma, violence and reflection in their aftermath." Read more of Palu's interview with Photolife here. 

Kandahar Journals is winner of the White House News Photographers Association 2016 Eyes of History Award Conflict/Disaster Coverage. The category recognizes work created in dangerous situations where the photographer has put his or her personal safety at risk.

 

See trailer here

See Kandahar Journals website here

See more of Louie Palu's photography here.



This event is sponsored by Global Affairs, Global Programs, Film and Media Studies, Film and Video Studies, and the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. 


It is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact gmufams@gmail.com

or Lisa Breglia at Global Programs lbreglia@gmu.edu | 703.993.9184