Margy Kinmonth’s feature documentary shines a light on the trailblazing role of women war artists on the front lines around the world.
This is the third instalment in Kinmonth’s trilogy of films about how artists depict war, following the acclaimed Eric Ravilious – Drawn To War and War Art with Eddie Redmayne.
This time, Kinmoth asks: when it's life or death, what do women see that men don’t? An entirely female cast of contributors and artists featured include Dame Rachel Whiteread, Zhanna Kadyrova, Maggi Hambling, Assil Diab, Dame Laura Knight, Marcelle Hanselaar, Cornelia Parker, Maya Lin, Shirin Neshat and Lee Miller. Their art, often created in the face of extreme violence, displacement, and genocide, serves not only as a powerful tool for witnessing the horrors of war but also as a means of provoking empathy and inspiring action on a global scale. Through their eyes, the film brings into focus the impact of war on women, especially the use of sexual violence as a weapon and the silencing of female voices in countries where journalism is restricted.
Demonstrating how culture breaks the taboo and crosses borders, this is a unique undertaking about the need to tell vital truths in turbulent times.