Restrepo (2010), co-directed by Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger, follows a platoon of U.S. soldiers deployed in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. Shot over the course of a year, the film offers a close, unmediated portrait of life on the front lines. It’s a story of presence, perception, and the experience of being inside a place rather than observing it from a distance.

In 2009, Ronit Novak interviewed Hetherington. A short excerpt from that conversation will be shared as part of the evening.

The screening will be followed by a recorded conversation with Sebastian Junger and Ronit Novak, reflecting on the film and its legacy. The evening will continue with a moderated discussion, with contributions from photographers and journalists in attendance.

This event is designed as a shared space for reflection on witnessing, image-making, and what it means to be present.

This event is part of THE GRAIN’s ongoing explorationof how images shape understanding, and what being there looks like in an age increasingly mediated by AI.

A portion of the proceeds will support the Tim Hetherington Trust.