Live from Baghdad

The events span the lead-up to and the early months of the Gulf War. The invasion of Kuwait begins in August 1990, followed by a UN deadline and escalating bombing in January 1991. The film then closes with the destruction in Baghdad as American power and media coverage collide.

The Gulf War setting drives the action across multiple hubs. The crew operates from Baghdad and Kuwait City, stays at the Al-Rasheed Hotel, and makes a key stop at Jahra Air Base before moving to Rome International Airport and CNN’s Atlanta base. The story also shows the crew’s presence in Jordan as a communications link to their newsroom. These places frame the live, on-the-ground reporting that defines the film.

📰 War Reporting

The film centers on live, real-time coverage of a major invasion. It follows the challenges of getting stories on air, negotiating access, and balancing speed with accuracy. The four-wire link enables direct connection to CNN in Atlanta, highlighting how technology shapes modern war journalism. Personal risk and ethical questions rise as hostages and government restrictions influence what can be shown.

🤝 Power and Access

Relationships with officials determine access to interviews and footage, revealing the tension between a journalist’s curiosity and a government’s control of information. The film shows how a single official can open or close a narrative by granting or denying interviews. The dynamic between Wiener and Naji Al Hadithi underscores how diplomacy and media intersect in war zones.

🔥 War and Destruction

As bombs fall on Baghdad and surrounding areas, the film shifts from reporting to witnessing the human and infrastructural toll of war. Destruction, evacuations, and the collapse of daily life underscore the stakes of live coverage. The narrative captures how media frames conflict while also absorbing its immediate impact on people.