Sundance’s Films about international journalists, reviewed by international journalists

Margaret Moth appears in "Never Look Away" by Lucy Lawless, an official selection of the World Documentary Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

"I never saw her say no to any challenge," Christiane Amanpour said.

PARK CITY, Utah — Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford, CNN British reporter Christiane Amanpour, and United States General Colin Powell, just to name a few, are all people who spent quality time with CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth in not just a professional capacity but a personal one as well.

Moth is refered to as “New Zealand’s least known, most famous  person,” as spoken via video to audiences of the World Documentary Film “Never Look Away.” It’s the directorial debut from Lucy Lawless.

Working throughout the Middle East in the 1980s and 90s “war was her drug.” it’s said in the film, and that Moth, “doubled down on danger.”

Amanpour said into the to camera when interviewed for this documentary, “I never saw her say no to any challenge.” and recounted the one of many times the two teamed up to bring war stories onto the television sets of the world. She asked Margaret, why she was always sleeping in her black pants and black combat boots. To which Moth replied something to the effect of, “I’m ready for anything.”

Lawless herself is best known for her work in front of the camera as the beloved character Xena: Warrior Princess.

She takes this story, an extraordinary life and death, that needs little artistic embellishment to showcase its inherent excitement, but not only does her creative filmmaking not get in the way, it enhances it.

Not initially setting out to direct a film about Moth, fellow New Zealander Lawless merely wanted to help facilitate the storytelling. She ended up in the directors chair and audiences will be entertained and educated by effort.

This screening was viewed as a key piece of the puzzle that is the Sundance Film Festival, online. Online ticketing offers people in New Zealand and anyone in any country the opportunity enjoy films without leaving their living room.

I give the film a three out of four stars.

From a film about an international journalists, to international journalists reviewing films at the Festival, The Sundance Institute touts the benefits of its internal program called the Press Inclusion Initiative. 

In it’s sixth year, the Initiative exists to break systemic barriers faced by critics from underrepresented groups who have not seen themselves represented in cultural criticism in large numbers by providing them with financial support, networking opportunities, guidance on how to navigate the Festival, and amplification of their work.

The current cohort is made up of 31 members of the press covering the Sundance Film Festival, both in-person and online. A sampling of their writings are listed bellow:

• “The Asian and Asian-Diaspora titles at Sundance 2024” by Grace Han on Asian Movie Pulse
• “The Outrun: Die Insel und die Frau” by Bahareh Ebrahimi on nd
• “El clima extremo continúa azotando a EE.UU. ‘Frida’ se presenta en el Festival de Sundance” by Rafael Cores on La Opinión Hoy
• ‘Sujo’ Review: A Darkly Lyrical Portrait of the Systems That “Force Mexican Men Into the Drug Wars” by Carlos Aguilar on IndieWire
• “‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’ Isn’t As Bad As The Internet Thinks. But Its Magic Is Missing” by Gloria Alamrew on Refinery29
• “Protagonismo latino en el inicio del Festival de Sundance con Pedro Pascal en “Freaky Tales” y Melissa Barrera en ‘Your Monster’” by Rafael Cores on La Opinión

CNN, for about five years, until about five years ago, was among the Main St. Park City storefront buyout takeovers inviting the public inside to experience filmmaking-related content during the Sundance Film Festival.

Amanpour came on vacation and skied at Deer Valley 10 years ago when the Film Festival was not in town. She took a break from the slopes on the deck of the Empire Lodge and read the newspapers that are draped over the wooden rack adjacent to the foyer. Robert Redford, too, skied at Deer Valley over the years, having been the owner of the Sundance Mountain ski area from 1968 to 2020.