War reporting is as much a vocation as an addiction. Most photographers and journalists seem to become hooked on the adrenaline and struggle to adapt to adapt to normal life. Whilst there’s a powerful drive to get the best shots and document the victims of war, all too often it has an adverse effect on mental health and personal relationships. In A Good Day to Die, director Harold Monfils tells the extraordinary story of award-winning conflict photographer Jason P. Howe.
Over a 12-year period, Jason P. Howe worked on the front line of four different wars. In Colombia, he fell for a woman who turned out to be an assassin. In Iraq and Afghanistan, he put his life on the line to capture the war, but also the suffering it causes to those innocent people caught up in it. In Lebanon, Jason concentrated on the civilian toll. Driven by an unquenchable desire to take the perfect photo, he built-up a reputation as a risk-taker.
A Good Day to Die documents his career, allowing Jason to give an honest and unique insight into the life of a war reporter. What drives someone to put their life on the line for their work can also destroy them. Using interviews with peers, Monfils gives a rounded portrait of a troubled man. His work became an addiction, placing an immense strain on his wellbeing which he countered with long booze and drug binges between assignments. A Good Day to Die is a an eye-opening glimpse into the life of a war photographer.
A Good Day to Die is in cinemas from Friday.
