Still from Freelancers On The Front Lines
Still from Freelancers On The Front Lines
 

Freelancer on the Front Lines

by Santiago Bertolino
From Egypt to Turkey to Irak, passing through Israel and Palestine, this documentary captures the ups and downs of a new and unconventional kind of journalism.
2016  ·  1h38m  ·  Canada
Arabic, English
French subs
About the Film
What makes Jesse Rosenfeld tick? A freelance reporter based in the Middle East, Jesse has made the region the focus of his work. FREELANCER ON THE FRONT LINES accompanies him in his daily life as he criss-crosses Egypt, Israel and Palestine, Turkey and Iraq. Examining thorny geopolitical realities shaped by the events transforming the Middle East, the documentary follows Jesse as he chases the news to make a living, and explores how journalism practices have changed in an ever-shifting media landscape. When war zones call, Jesse answers, driven by an idealism that demonstrates his faith in humanity. Whether covering the dashed hopes of the Egyptian revolution in Cairo (sitting through the trial that jailed Canadian-Egyptian journalist Mohamed Fahmy and reporting from the streets as the military consolidates power), war and occupation in Israel-Palestine from Ramallah to Gaza, the spillover of the Syrian civil war into refugee camps in southeastern Turkey, or Kurdish fighters confronting the armed militants of the Islamic State in northern Iraq, the man is on a mission to share the issues on the ground with his readers. He conveys the impact of these historic events by telling the stories of those living through them. Observing him as he works, FREELANCER ON THE FRONT LINES joins a man who is always on the move, continually navigating the fray of the modern media landscape while reporting the news he thinks you need to hear and hoping to make the front page. Jesse is a new breed of reporter. Documenting his journey through conflict zones, the film shows the new reality of freelancers who have to adapt to major upheavals in the media landscape and the ongoing crisis in print journalism. On the fringes of traditional media, a new type of journalism has emerged, and FREELANCER ON THE FRONT LINES shows us what goes into this frantic quest for news. In exploring the obstacles Jesse must overcome, the documentary examines the chaotic environment reporters must contend with. For Jesse, who belongs to the generation that grew up with the Iraq war in the headlines, it’s important to contextualize and never hold back, even when discussing the West’s share of the blame for violence, oppression and destruction in the Middle East. Combining interviews with Jesse, his reporting in the field, his articles, and archival news, FREELANCER ON THE FRONT LINES uses many angles to present a profile of this new journalism in the digital age. With the thrilling pace of an action film, the documentary follows Jesse on his perpetual travels and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Relaxing from time to time back in Toronto, temporarily away from the noise of the world, Jesse reveals other aspects of his personality: haunted by scenes of horror, he’s a seasoned professional who never claims to be a hero. The prisoner of a never-ending cycle, he soon returns to the task of chasing news under foreign skies, with just one hope: to engage his readers with the realities of the region in which he lives and give them the information they need to understand and act. FREELANCER ON THE FRONT LINES provides a window into the deep-seated struggles shaping today’s Middle East, and offers an insider’s look at the importance of independent, critical news coverage in a media landscape that too often tends toward convergence.
Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Festivals and Awards
2016
RIDM, Closing Film
2017
DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Official Selection
2017
Guangzhou, International Documentary Film Festival (GZDOC), Official Selection
Editor
Aube Foglia
Animator
Mélanie Bouchard
Producer
Nathalie Cloutier and Denis McCready
Sound Editor
Olivier Calvert
Soundtrack Composer
Esmerine
About the Director

Santiago Bertolino

Santiago Bertolino

Santiago Bertolino travaille actuellement à titre de réalisateur/scénariste avec les Productions Multi-Monde. En 2000, il co-réalise avec Sylvain Bédard son premier documentaire intitulé Les illusions du libre-échange; il s’agit d’une réflexion critique sur la globalisation de l’économie. En plus d’être sélectionné aux Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, ce film sera diffusé dans les universités et les Cégeps à la veille des mobilisations contre le sommet des Amériques en 2001. Par la suite, il participe au Collectif des Lucioles, un regroupement de jeunes vidéastes dont le mandat est de réaliser, mais aussi de diffuser sur une base mensuelle des films engagés dans des espaces publics.

Santiago s’intéresse depuis plus d’une quinzaine d’années aux luttes sociales et à leurs impacts dans la société. En 2004 commence sa collaboration avec l’équipe de Parole citoyenne, un projet de site internet à caractère social de l’Office national du film (ONF).

À partir de 2009, un an après les bombardements israéliens sur Gaza, il prend part, à titre de cinéaste/reporter, aux différentes délégations québécoises qui se rendront en Palestine pour témoigner de l’occupation. Notons sa participation sur le Bateau canadien pour Gaza où il signe une série de chroniques pour le journal Métro.

Avec Carré rouge sur fond noir, Santiago explore une forme de documentaire plus intimiste, où il suit des artisans de la grève étudiante dans le quotidien de leurs luttes. Il ne s’agit plus de simplement capter une série de manifestations, mais de témoigner de l’intérieur la mise en œuvre d’un mouvement de protestation populaire.

 

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