No Ordinary Life at Tribeca 2021
Written By: Margaux Fortier
Image Courtesy of Falco Ink, Tribeca 2021
Women make up a small percentage of the camera department jobs across film and television. In the past, many have thought that women can’t handle the grit and heavy lifting needed to do the job. If there was ever a documentary that could change that idea, it is No Ordinary Life directed by Heather O’Neill. No Ordinary Life premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2021 and brought the audience down to ground level of the life of CNN’s female camera crew.
When news happens around the world, people want to see what is really going on but many times we forget that there needs to be someone behind the camera to capture those images. That’s where CNN’s fearless camerawomen enter the scene. Maria Fleet, Jane Evans, Cynde Strand, Mary Rogers, and Margaret Moth travelled all over the globe to record some of the most dangerous conflicts. Tiananmen Square, Sarajevo, Iraq, Somalia and the Arab Spring uprising were all captured by this team of women and now have become segments of visual history.
Image Courtesy of Falco Ink, Tribeca 2021
Covering all aspects of the commitment to this transient and dangerous life, Heather O’Neill delivers a moving portrait as her directorial debut. With intimate interviews, the five women share near-death experiences and the hardships of being on the move, along with the excitement and joy of pursuing their passion. Strains form on relationships while they’re away and not many understand why they would choose this life. A bond grows between them through resilience and spirit that is unique to their experience.
Up against industry doubts of their ability, CNN’s camerawomen took jobs to continue the trajectory of their careers. Despite the isolating nature of the job and worries from family and friends, they continued their work for the sake of documenting the truth. For this reason, many of these women focus on the humanity of the areas they are in and tell the stories of the people who are caught in the, at times literal, crossfire. The close ups of the faces and the reactions to the suffering around them portrays more of the reality of what is happening. Behind the lens, these women can send this imagery back home to educate those watching.
Image Courtesy of Falco Ink, Tribeca 2021
Director Heather O’Neill has found inspiration and innovation in the images captured. “Women bring an important dynamic and experience to storytelling. Mary, Jane, Cynde, Margaret and Maria wanted to tell stories about events happening around the world. Stories that informed and awakened us in our very homes. I wanted to make a film that allowed the audience to be immersed in the experience of being behind the camera. The sounds, the signs, the reading of faces, the split-second decisions, and their sense of what was about to unfold. Cynde, Maria, Jane, Mary and Margaret took the images that defined history for their generation, yet their own stories have not been told, until now.”
No Ordinary Life is powerful and shows the importance of diverse perspective in recording history. It is a revealing look at the world and will make you appreciate the work that reporters and their crews do around the world each day. The camera women who captured many of these images finally get the acknowledgement they deserve.
Watch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/518317104
https://www.noordinarylifefilm.com/
Image Courtesy of Falco Ink, Tribeca 2021
