HONDROS, a documentary directed by Greg Campbell, follows the life of the late Chris Hondros, an award-winning war photographer from 1999 to 2011. The documentary begins by tragically revealing that Chris died on April 20, 2011 when he was killed in the midst of action in Libya.
What fascinated me the most about Chris’ life was the psyche of the type of person who can boldly and repeatedly throw him or herself into a conflict situation. Hondros takes us into Chris’ incredible work, his life, why he did things the way he did, and how he miraculously held together a seemingly functional social life.
Some of my favorite moments of the film were hearing from Chris’ mother. Coming from Greek roots, it was obvious that family values were an integral part of Chris’ upbringing. There was a mutual respect in his family that surpassed the ‘normal’ things of life, including safety in the workplace. His mother understood that although his job was very dangerous, it was important, so she held it in esteem.
Amongst the many remarkable qualities of Chris, was his ability to connect to any human, no matter what country, culture, or creed. The documentary is full of testimonies of people across the globe telling how Chris personally touched their lives. They all experienced the same thing: in the past someone else had bailed, but Chris had come through.
Although Chris is no longer with us, we luckily have his beautifully truthful and arresting photographs to remember his life, talent, and fearlessness, and that’s inspiring enough to last multiple lifetimes.
DANIELLE'S VERDICT: SEE IT
Written by Greg Campbell & Jenny Golden Directed by Greg Campbell Country: USA
The Tribeca Film Festival, running April 19-30th in New York City, offers an assortment of riches when it comes to films. Documentaries, Feature Films, International Films, TV, VR technology, and more. As stated on their website, "Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center, Tribeca has evolved from an annual event to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan to a gathering place for filmmakers, artists, innovators, and the global creative community." The ArtsWire Weekly has been covering the festival since 2013 and this year, Mateo Moreno and Danielle Beckmann will be our voices on from the fest.