Vanity Fair: How difficult was it logistically to film Lynsey wherever she was?
Chai Vasarhelyi: She’s working in very sensitive places, and so we got quite lucky. Lynsey works with a colleague, Andriy Dubchak, who is a very well-respected Ukrainian journalist who also films, and they were going to be working side by side no matter what. That’s why it feels so intimate and raw, because it is their process—how they would normally work. You always have to find the right alchemy, and it really is a testament to Lynsey’s commitment where she wasn’t doing this in a half-assed way. She understood what would make it great.
Lynsey, were you nervous about opening up about your family life?
Lynsey Addario: Every parent has that tough balance, and every parent feels guilty. For me, it wasn’t really a question as to whether I would open up my family life once I committed to the project, and once my husband and my kids signed off. I do this for a living, so I knew what the requirements were. I knew what they would be asking of me, and I knew the elements that would make it poignant: vulnerability, and being honest and transparent about how tough things are. I think that when people so carefully curate documentaries on their lives, it doesn’t help any of us, because then we all feel like shit. It was important for me to just say, “okay, I’ll be criticized as a mother.” I already am. When I wrote my memoir, I was already criticized for going to war, for working while pregnant, for all of these things. I hope that it helps people and gives a different perspective.
Chai, did this film feel more personal to you? You’re also a mom who has to go away, and Jimmy also goes to dangerous places for work.
