A Baptism of Fire

A new generation of freelance photographers flies low-cost to war zones on their own dime in the hope of selling images to printed media or websites. The carefree attitude of their youth is quickly lost when they are confronted with reality. Take Corentin Fohlen, a young photo-journalist who travels around covering the Arab Spring. Back home in France at a conference for war correspondents, he explains that for him, his work is not just a job, it's a lifestyle. When Corentin's colleague Rémi Ochlik is killed in Homs, Syria, alongside veteran war correspondent Marie Colvin, his thirst for adventure turns into a deeper reflection on the meaning of his work and life. PRESS REACTIONS TO THE FILM "Risk your life to show the conflict and suffering of the world? This original documentary testifies to the passion of a photojournalism: Corentin, not yet 30-years-old, has already spent six years in the business. From the chaos of Cairo to Homs, from Haiti to Libya, we see him at work, equipped with a helmet, gas mask and bulletproof vest."—Le Monde "Shot on the ground, in the heart of danger, the film exposes raw emotion, pain, reflection and laughter."—Les Inrocks "One of the best documentaries of all time. [Director Jerome Clement-Wilz] follows his friend through shells of bullets to bring to light the daily lives of these news junkies."—Vanity Fair, France