POV Season 17 Episode 4 War Feels like War

In the fourth episode of POV's 17th season, titled "War Feels like War," viewers are taken on a journey to the front lines of the Iraq War through the eyes of a group of independent journalists.

The documentary, directed by Esteban Uyarra, follows the efforts of a team of reporters from the European news agency Reuters, as they strive to capture the human side of the conflict. With unprecedented access to both soldiers and civilians, the journalists risk their lives to gather footage that conveys the true cost of the war.

As the film unfolds, viewers are introduced to an array of characters. There's the brash and charismatic American sergeant who insists that he's helping to "liberate" the Iraqis, the Iraqi civilians who are caught in the crossfire of the fighting, and the journalists themselves, who must constantly navigate the tenuous balance between objectivity and the desire to tell a compelling story.

Throughout the film, the reality of war is conveyed in vivid and often unsettling detail. The sound of gunfire is constant, the streets are lined with rubble and debris, and the people caught in the middle of the conflict are shown to be just as vulnerable as the soldiers on either side.

Despite the grim subject matter, there are also moments of lightheartedness and camaraderie. Several scenes depict the journalists sharing jokes and stories with the soldiers, and even playing soccer with a group of Iraqi children amidst the ruins of a bombed-out building.

Ultimately, "War Feels like War" is a sobering reminder of the human toll of war, and the importance of bearing witness to the experiences of those caught up in its deadly grasp.