Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Love+War captures Lynsey Addario’s life-risking work in conflict photography and the sacrifices she makes at home. The documentary is their second world premiere in two weeks, following Lost in the Jungle at Telluride.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Lynsey Addario has ventured into some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones—from the Middle East and Afghanistan to Ukraine—to document the human cost of war. Love+War traces her rise in the male-dominated field of conflict photography, revealing the immense personal sacrifices behind her acclaimed work. Each assignment puts her life at risk and separates her from her husband and young sons. The film explores Addario’s struggle to balance her devotion to vital journalism with the responsibilities of motherhood, offering a poignant reflection on pursuing one’s calling when it comes at the highest personal price.

If there’s been a major conflict or humanitarian crisis in the past two decades, chances are you’ve seen a photo taken by Lynsey Addario. Her images have shaped how the world views war in the 21st century. Whether covering the Middle East, South Asia, or Africa, Addario has consistently been on the ground. Most recently, she documented the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and returned to Afghanistan when the Taliban regained power in 2021. Having reported on the war in Afghanistan for two decades following the U.S. response to September 11, it felt inevitable that she would be there to capture the Taliban’s return.

After a career spent behind the camera, Addario steps in front of it in Love+War, offering an intimate look at her life and work. The film reveals not only how she became one of the best in her field, but also the sacrifices demanded by that career. When she’s not on the frontlines, she’s at home with her husband and two young sons. That balance has not always been respected by her editors, some of whom have chosen not to send her into war zones because of her family. Her story is a reminder that even the most demanding professions are not free from bias and discrimination.

What stands out most about Addario’s career is her deeply personal approach to photojournalism. In Love+War, she reflects on her images and the harrowing stories behind them, opening a window into the peril and humanity she captures. At the same time, she speaks candidly about the challenges of balancing her work with motherhood. Unlike most working parents, her “office” is often a war zone. Yet the struggles she faces in managing both career and family life resonate universally.

In many ways, Love+War departs from Vasarhelyi and Chin’s previous projects. Their recent documentaries have followed a free-solo climber pushing physical limits, dramatic search-and-rescue missions that made global headlines, and expeditions seeking lost ships. Here, they turn their focus to a working mother—albeit one whose job places her in some of the most dangerous places on Earth. Addario has broken through a male-dominated field to become one of the most influential photographers of the last 25 years. Her work emphasizes not just the violence of war but the human dimension—often elevating the stories of women and children whose voices are otherwise unheard. Through her lens, conflicts are reframed as deeply personal struggles, not just distant geopolitical events.

Addario’s profession, of course, carries enormous risks. Many of her colleagues have lost their lives while documenting war. She herself has been kidnapped twice, experiences she recounts on camera in Love+War. The film concludes with clips touching on the Israel-Hamas War, which erupted after Hamas breached the border on October 7, killing over 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Access to Gaza remains severely restricted, with foreign journalists only allowed in rare, tightly controlled circumstances. The film acknowledges this reality while underlining the perilous nature of Addario’s work.

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Andriy Dubchak doubled as both a working journalist and as someone documenting Addario on the ground. Yet perhaps the most compelling material in Love+War isn’t what was captured abroad but the quiet, intimate moments filmed at home. Instead of Vasarhelyi and Chin directing with a full crew, the family sequences were shot by Thor Thielow alone, without additional production staff. That stripped-down approach lends the domestic scenes an immediacy and authenticity, highlighting the tension between Addario’s extraordinary career and her ordinary family life.

What emerges from Love+War is more than a career retrospective—it’s a moving story about sacrifice, resilience, and conviction. Addario’s photographs have shaped how we understand modern conflict, and this film reminds us of the personal toll behind each frame.

DIRECTORS: Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
FEATURING: Lynsey Addario

Love+War holds its world premiere during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in the TIFF Docs program. National Geographic Documentary Films will release the film at a later date. Grade: 3.5/5

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