Watch THE MEXICAN SUITCASE | ROBERT CAPA (2011)

Synopsis

In 1939, as he fled to the United States, Robert Capa left behind in his Paris studio a collection of negatives from the Spanish Civil War. His friend, the Hungarian photographer Cziki Weisz, carried them to Bordeaux, where he entrusted them to a Chilean diplomat tasked with placing them safely in his country’s consulate. From that moment on, all trace of the negatives vanished. They would not resurface until seventy years later — in Mexico — revealing 4,500 negatives attributed not to one, but to three photographers: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David Seymour, also known as Chim. Beyond the extraordinary story of their rediscovery, this body of work sheds light on the brilliance of its authors, who together gave birth to modern war photography. In Spain, these three pioneers invented an entirely new way of documenting conflict — up close, committed, and profoundly human. Their photographs shook the world, revealing for the first time the faces of war. By intertwining these images with the testimonies of survivors of the Spanish Civil War — many of whom found refuge in Mexico, the only country to welcome them — this documentary revives a long-buried collective memory.

What you will find in this film

The rediscovered negatives of Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David Seymour (Chim) • the Spanish Civil War through the lens • the invention of modern war photography • memory as redemption • photographers overshadowed by the Capa myth

Keywords

Reportage & Society Analogue Photography Masters of Photography History of Photography

They were freelancers and they got themselves down to Spain, they felt so strongly that the Spanish Civil War was one that they had to participate in. They had to fight with their cameras, for the international press, to gain support and enthusiasm for fighting fascism.

Cynthia Young Curator, International Center for Photography

These guys believed that photos could change the world. And the remarkable thing is that, sometimes they succeeded. The photos they took changed what happened in the world. Their impact was often powerful.

Ben Shneiderman David Seymour’s nephew

When she came to me she was completely wrapped in bandaged. Her last words to me was : Did they take care of my camera?

Irene Golden Nurse, about Gerda Taro

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