A Private War tells the story of Marie Colvin, the celebrated Sunday Times war correspondent who reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts, including Sri Lanka, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. The film follows both her work in the field and the personal cost of repeatedly returning to war zones.

For journalists, the film is especially useful because it shows that war reporting is not only about reaching the front line. It is about finding civilians, listening to witnesses, checking what happened and turning suffering into verifiable reporting rather than spectacle.

The film also raises an essential professional question: how much risk is acceptable in the pursuit of a story? Colvin’s courage is undeniable.

Another important lesson concerns empathy. Colvin’s reporting is strongest when she focuses on the people trapped inside conflicts, not only on armies, governments or strategy.

For a journalist, A Private War is therefore a lesson in courage, responsibility and human-centred reporting.

(2018)