Laura Poitras on Seymour Hersh, War Propaganda, and Investigative Journalism

The Legacy of Seymour Hersh

• 🏆 Laura Poitras's film aims to cement Seymour Hersh's legacy as one of the greatest documentary filmmakers of their generation.
• 💡 Hersh's work is presented as a lens through which to view US foreign policy and the practice of investigative journalism.
• 🎬 The film explores the repetition of government atrocities, lies, cover-ups, and the press's role in either exposing or enabling them.

The Process of Filmmaking

• ⏳ Poitras spent years immersed in footage, aiming to capture the emotional and psychological impact of Hersh's reporting.
• 🗺️ Inspired by 70s paranoia thrillers like "All the President's Men," the film seeks to create a sense of government secrecy and deception.
• 🎬 Editing rules emphasized not getting ahead of the story, allowing the audience to experience discoveries alongside Hersh.

Critiquing Corporate Media and Government Narratives

• 🗣️ The interview highlights how easily governments can sell new wars using familiar propaganda scripts, even when past wars have been disastrous.
• 📰 Poitras expresses a wish for a more skeptical public and adversarial journalists, especially given the protections of a free press in the US.
• ⚠️ The corporate media's tendency to be subservient to state messages, rather than challenging them, is a key concern.

Attributes of a Great Investigative Journalist

• 🌟 Hersh's background as the son of Eastern European immigrants, growing up poor in Chicago, instilled a deep distrust of power and silence.
• 🤝 He possesses strong people skills, engaging deeply with his team and sources, making them feel valued.
• 💡 A key attribute is his unwavering commitment to journalism and uncovering the truth, rather than seeking comfort or access within institutions.

The Emotional Toll of Reporting Atrocities

• 💔 Hersh openly discusses the emotional and psychological difficulty of constantly investigating and reporting on government atrocities and barbarism.
• 🎖️ Despite his accolades, Hersh remains unemployable in mainstream media, having chosen a path of integrity over lucrative, tension-free careers.
• 😔 The lack of accountability for those in power, particularly in cases like the My Lai massacre, continues to haunt him and fuels his current obsession with the unfolding events in Gaza.