Lucy Lawless Captures Bravery of Margaret Moth in Never Look Away

Margaret Moth wasn’t your typical journalist.  Giving a gorgeously stunning newsroom version of Joan Jett and Grace Slick with spiky jet black hair setting off her blue green eyes, Moth was sexy, cool and the epitome of of rock and roll.  She was also the first camerawoman in New Zealand who spent more than two decades covering war zones from Sarajevo to the Persian Gulf to Tbilisi, Georgia in the 90’s.  She lived hard and loved even harder.

In Never Look Away, Lucy Lawless makes her directorial debut chronicling a life shrouded in mystery and intrigue until now.  With Heart’s “Barracuda” blasting over an opening montage, one gets the feeling that this story will be like no other.  Never speaking of her past, no desire to have children, Moth’s main mission and drive was to make sure the world, through her lens, is privy to how the brutality of war affects humanity especially children. Tenacity, guts and a sense of no fear, this pioneer would get as close to subjects as possible while capturing images that are believed to ultimately bring all of these war torn zones to a screeching halt.

The most shocking part of this tale is that despite being shot by a sniper in Sarajevo, losing part of her jaw,  she recovered and went on reporting in the field for CNN  until she died of cancer in 2010.  Lawless features a plethora of Moth’s lovers who all thought they were special in her orbit, family members shedding light on the mystique and colleagues who are still in awe of the grit and indomitable spirit she earned a reputation for.  All of this while breaking ground for camera journalists leaving no doubt that women are literally capable of anything.

Never Look Away leaves one in awe of Margaret Moth while feeling inspired to do more for your fellow man making your legacy more about others than for yourself.  My life will never be the same having cinematically been exposed to her story.