Watch McCullin

McCullin is a 2012 documentary that explores the life and work of British photojournalist Don McCullin. The film is directed by David Morris and Jacqui Morris, and features interviews with McCullin himself as well as other notable figures, including journalist Harold Evans and broadcaster Michael Parkinson. The documentary paints a portrait of a man who has witnessed some of the most significant events of the 20th century, and whose photography has captured the human cost of war and poverty.

Born in London's Finsbury Park in 1935, Don McCullin grew up in a working-class family. His childhood was marked by poverty and overcrowding, and he left school at the age of 15 with no qualifications. After a brief stint in the Royal Air Force, he began working as an assistant at a photographic studio in London, where he developed his skills as a darkroom technician. He soon began taking his own photographs, and in 1959 he was offered a job as a staff photographer for The Observer.

Over the next decade, McCullin would travel the world as a photojournalist, covering conflicts in Vietnam, Cambodia, Northern Ireland, and the Middle East. He also documented the lives of the poor in the UK, as well as the impact of AIDS in Africa. His work is characterized by a deep empathy for his subjects, and a willingness to immerse himself in difficult and dangerous situations in order to capture the reality of their lives.

The documentary features interviews with several of McCullin's colleagues and friends, who offer insights into his character and his work. Harold Evans, who worked with McCullin at The Sunday Times, describes him as "the best war photographer of his generation". He also describes the emotional toll that McCullin's work took on him, saying that "he saw it all".

Michael Parkinson, who had McCullin as a guest on his TV show in the 1970s, reflects on the impact that his photographs had on the public consciousness. He notes that McCullin's images of the Vietnam War were some of the first that people in the UK had seen that showed the true horror of the conflict.

The film also includes interviews with people who appear in McCullin's photographs, including a soldier who was injured during the Vietnam War, and a woman whose children were killed in a bombing in Belfast. These interviews bring a human perspective to McCullin's work, reminding the audience that behind each photograph there is a story of pain and suffering.

McCullin himself is a fascinating and complex figure, and the documentary does not shy away from exploring some of the more controversial aspects of his life and work. He describes his time in Northern Ireland as "an education in barbarity", and acknowledges that some of his photographs could be seen as glorifying violence. He also expresses regret over the impact that his work had on his family, particularly his two youngest children who grew up without him due to his travels abroad.

Despite these complexities, however, the film ultimately celebrates McCullin's achievements as a photojournalist. His photographs are shown in all their raw power and beauty, and there are moments of quiet reflection as McCullin speaks about his work and his philosophy. The documentary also highlights his dedication to giving a voice to the voiceless, and his belief in the importance of bearing witness to the world's suffering.

Overall, McCullin is a powerful and thought-provoking film that offers a window into the life and work of one of the greatest photojournalists of our time. It is a tribute to a man who has devoted his life to documenting the human cost of war and poverty, and a reminder of the importance of bearing witness to the world's suffering.