In HONDROS director and childhood friend Greg Campbell reveals a portrait of a man – Chris Hondros who found and explored humanity in war-torn countries with great depth and sensitivity. Hondros’ passion for his craft could only be matched by his unending talent for creating breathtaking imagery. Hondros is the 2017 documentary winner at Tribeca Film Festival.

Chris Hondros was an award-winning conflict photographer who covered nearly every major world of event of our time before he was killed covering the civil war in Libya on April 20, 2011. As a senior staff photographer for Getty images, Chris was frequently recognised by his peers for photographs that are examined in depth in HONDROS. Among the many awards and citations he earned for his work, Chris won the Overseas Press Club’s 2003 John Faber Award for his work in Liberia, the 2006 Robert Capa Gold Medal for his work in Iraq and he was a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist.

Director: Greg Campbell  is a documentary filmmaker, journalist and bestselling nonfiction author making his directorial debut with the feature-length film HONDROS. Campbell is co-founder of Denver-based production company Fox Tale Films and the author of “Blood Diamonds; Tracing the Deadly Path of the World’s Most Precious Stones,” the book that inspired the Leonardo DiCaprio film BLOOD DIAMOND. As a journalist and filmmaker, Campbell has reported from around the world, including throughout Africa and the Middle East. He lives in Denver.

Executive Producer: Riva Marker is the Peabody Award-winning film producer and President of Nine Stories, the production company she launched with Jake Gyllenhaal in 2015. Prior to Nine Stories, Marker produced Cary Fukunaga’s BEASTS OF NO NATION, which won both SAG and Indie Spirit Awards for its star, Idris Elba; Michael Showalter’s comedy HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS, starring Sally Field; and she was an executive producer on Lisa Cholodenko’s Academy Award-nominated THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT.

Run Time: 89 minutes

The Hetherington family and the Tim Hetherington Trust invite friends, colleagues and everyone interested in Tim’s extraordinary life to spend an evening at The Frontline Club exploring his dynamic legacy through the work of artists and journalists who continue to expand his innovative approach to visual media. The evening will introduce new work by some familiar friends, as well as some hitherto unknown voices who are bringing fresh energy to today’s media.

We will present a first look at the virtual reality project ‘The Ark’ by Eline Jongsma and Kel O’Neill, produced with support from the Tim Hetherington Trust and premiering simultaneously at Tribeca Film Festival in New York. The Trust will unveil the revised Tim Hetherington Fellowship, developed in association with the World Press Photo, and the evening will culminate with presentations by the five newly short-listed artists for the Visionary Award from the Tim Hetherington Trust. Frontline guests will be the first to learn the identity of this year’s winner, with an opportunity to question the jurors and the artist about the forthcoming project.

This event – taking place on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the mortar attack that took the lives of Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros in Libya in 2011 – will introduce some new reflections on their lives and will offer dynamic insights into the work of a new generation of storytellers who are challenging our expectations of visual journalism in 2016.

An eclectic mix of friends and colleagues joined together at the Frontline Club on Monday 20th April, in celebration of two photographers that not only captured the realities of war, but also explored the frontiers of artistic imagery.

On the fourth anniversary of their death, an audience full of friends, family, colleagues and admirers remembered photographers Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, with a reflection on their groundbreaking work, and a showcase of the work of others that they have inspired.

Stephen Mayes talks about Tim Hetherington

Stephen Mayes, executive director of the Tim Hetherington Trust, introduced the evening with the precursor: “In the spirit of Tim and Chris, we want tonight to be looking at growing and going forwards.”

Daniel Meadows, Tim’s teacher at Cardiff University, shared stories of the years he taught him at university, and explained that even from the start Tim was pushing the boundaries of multimedia storytelling. Playing the incredibly evocative ‘House of Pain’, a video of stills from a night Tim spent following staff at Monmouth Hospital A&E, Meadows painted the picture of a photojournalist whose work and ethos would go on to have a tremendous impact.

Self-styled ‘story-breaker’ Topaz Adizes then showcased his award-winning interactive documentary ‘The And’, and described the influence Tim had on him to break down and re-mould the traditional forms of photography and documentary.

Topaz Adizes discusses his multimedia project ‘The And’

“Tim always used to say, ‘How can we create new stories and break past paradigms to create new stories?’ That’s what he was very conscientious about, and what I have tried to do.”

Geoff Johnston, an artist and curator who shared a studio with Tim, shared with the audience some touching raw footage of Tim being interviewed by one of Johnston’s students about his project with a blind school in Sierra Leone after the civil war.

“I wanted to explore imagery and communication ideas, but I also wanted to explore the idea of war. In the project, you think you are in a very sweet story about the blind. But then in the middle of the story, this hammer comes down, and this kid starts talking about how he is blind because he had hot plastic dripped into his eyes during the war,” said Tim in the video.

Tim Hetherington’s legacy of experimental story-telling continues on with the introduction of the Tim Hetherington Trust Visionary Award, won this year by filmmaking team Eline Jongsman and Kel O’Neill, who joined the audience via video-link.

Paul Halliday, Tim’s friend and collaborator, shared some of his work that later influenced Tim as he was developing into a well-known photojournalist. Guy Martin, Tim’s friend and fellow photojournalist, also shared his latest work ‘City of Dreams’, and discussed the continuing evolution of documentary photography.

Each of the speakers shared their private memories with the audience, in an evening that celebrated Tim and Chris’s work and the legacy that succeeds them.

“This is a bitter sweet day,” said Aidan Sullivan, showing a video of Chris Hondros’ prolific work in war zones. As the audio recording of Chris’ voice said in the background: “I think you need a little bit of distance from these events [war]. History will decide which pictures endure.”

Watch and listen back:

This year for the first time, the Hetherington family is inviting all Tim’s friends and colleagues to share their reflections on the anniversary of Tim’s death. It will be a free flowing discussion about Tim’s influence and continuing inspiration, including a sneak peek of Sebastian Junger‘s forthcoming film sparked by a conversation with Tim, a creative moment that is actually captured on film.

We’ll get an inside view of the Bronx Documentary Center founded by New York photographer Mike Kamber, fulfilling Tim’s vision for photography in the community. Judith Hetherington will talk about some of the things she’s learned about her son in the last three years and Stephen Mayes will discuss the ambitions of the Tim Hetherington Trust, including announcements about imminent activities in 2014.

We will also hear from close friends and colleagues Piers Dunn and James Brabazon who will talk about some of Tim’s less familiar attributes and Art Blundell, a fellow UN investigator, will talk about the meaning of Telemachus, Tim’s lesser-known middle name.

We’ll also hear from Christina Piaia, Chris Hondros’ fiancé, about his new book launching this month and other activities of the Chris Hondros Fund.

Please come, listen, talk and be inspired.

The event is free to attend, however, should you wish to make a donation to the Tim Hetherington Trust, please click here for further information.

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On 20 April, 2011 photojournalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were tragically killed while covering the civil war in Libya.

In the aftermath of this tragedy, Benjamin J. Spatz and the American literary magazine Alaska Quarterly Review brought together 68 of the world’s leading photographers to proactively honor Tim and Chris. The result,  Liberty and Justice (for All): A Global Photo Mosaic, is an exploration of the many facets of liberty and justice through images and personal narrative.

Join Spatz and Giles Duley in the final event in Photo Week 2012 for a presentation of the proactive tribute and to discuss the challenges to interpret and depict these universal themes in a dangerous and changing world.

Chaired by filmmaker and journalist James Brabazon.

Giles Duley worked for 10 years as a fashion and music photographer before becoming accomplished humanitarian photographer. His work has been exhibited and published worldwide in many respected publications including Vogue, GQ, Rolling Stone, The Sunday Times and The Observer. In February 2011 Duley was severely injured while working in Afghanistan.

Benjamin J. Spatz is Guest Editor of the Alaska Quarterly Review and is a Truman National Security Fellow. He recently served as Special Advisor to the Government of Liberia and has worked with a relief and development NGO in Darfur, the global political risk advisory firm Eurasia Group, and the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Saptz‘s photography has been recognized by Pictures of the Year International and the National Press Photographers Association.

Sponsored by:

On 20 April, 2011 photojournalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were tragically killed while covering the civil war in Libya.

In the aftermath of this tragedy, Benjamin J. Spatz and the American literary magazine Alaska Quarterly Review brought together 68 of the world’s leading photographers to proactively honor Tim and Chris. The result,  Liberty and Justice (for All): A Global Photo Mosaic, is an exploration of the many facets of liberty and justice through images and personal narrative.

Join Spatz and Giles Duley in the final event in Photo Week 2012 for a presentation of the proactive tribute and to discuss the challenges to interpret and depict these universal themes in a dangerous and changing world.

Chaired by filmmaker and journalist James Brabazon.

Giles Duley worked for 10 years as a fashion and music photographer before becoming accomplished humanitarian photographer. His work has been exhibited and published worldwide in many respected publications including Vogue, GQ, Rolling Stone, The Sunday Times and The Observer. In February 2011 Duley was severely injured while working in Afghanistan.

Benjamin J. Spatz is Guest Editor of the Alaska Quarterly Review and is a Truman National Security Fellow. He recently served as Special Advisor to the Government of Liberia and has worked with a relief and development NGO in Darfur, the global political risk advisory firm Eurasia Group, and the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Saptz‘s photography has been recognized by Pictures of the Year International and the National Press Photographers Association.

Sponsored by:

The Frontline Club has announced the winners of the Frontline Club Award and the Frontline Memorial Tribute Award for excellence in journalism, to be presented by Allan Little on Wednesday 23 November at the Annual Party and Awards. Frontline Club members can book to attend here.

2011 Frontline Club Award

This year the Frontline Club award will be presented to two journalists, Nick Davies and Matthieu Mabin, to acknowledge their exceptional journalism, integrity, courage and independence of spirit. Davies in person and Mabin via Skype will accept their Awards at the ceremony in London tomorrow evening.

Investigative journalist Nick Davies, is to receive the Frontline Club award for his investigation for the Guardian into the phone hacking scandal which led to the closure of the News of the World and the questioning of News Corporation’s Rupert and James Murdoch by the Commons culture committee. He has been a journalist since 1976 and is the bestselling author of Flat Earth News, on falsehood and distortion in the media.

Vaughan Smith, Founder of the Frontline Club and a judge of the Awards said of Davies’ nomination:

“Nick Davies‘ work this year has led to a shake up of the media. Though his pursuit of the truth was not always popular with his colleagues in journalism he persevered, and we’re only just beginning to see the impact of his revelations.”

Matthieu Mabin will receive the Frontline Club Award for his camera work in Libya. Mabin is a special correspondent for France 24 and has worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast. His journey with Libyan rebel forces as they advance on Tripoli at the end of August this year was made into two extended news pieces entitled The Tripoli Brigade and was broadcast on France 24.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s annual award to Matthieu Mabin, Gary Knight, one of the judges, said:

“Matthieu Mabin demonstrated exceptional courage. He also worked on an a well thought out and well constructed narrative story that demanded great journalistic skills and real focus and tenacity – that is something we don’t see enough on TV and the spirit should be saluted.”

2011 Frontline Memorial Tribute Award

The Memorial Tribute Award is to be posthumously awarded to three photojournalists who were killed while working in Libya this year: Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros. Hetherington and Hondros were killed in the same incident in Misrata, Libya in April 2011, while Hammerl was killed in the Libyan desert in the same month.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s Memorial award to Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, Jon Lee Anderson said:

“to an unusual degree, the year 2011 and the Libya conflict represented a huge loss of life for several highly talented and dearly beloved members of our profession. “

This year’s judges were: the New Yorker‘s Jon Lee Anderson, Gary Knight VII photojournalist, Carlotta Gall from the New York Times, Jeremy Bowen and Allan Little from the BBC and Frontline Club Founder Vaughan Smith. Both awards focus on journalistic integrity, courage and independence of spirit, regardless of nationality or media discipline and include the work of freelances.

The Frontline Club Award aims to recognise an outstanding body of work or series of contributions over a one-year period while the Frontline Memorial Tribute is dedicated to the memory of Frontline Club members killed in the course of their work.

The Frontline Club is grateful to Canon for once again sponsoring the Frontline Club Awards.