Jan Loy is a German war photographer. He moves from one hot spot to another disaster area, from Belfast to Afghanistan. Many colleagues envy Loy’s talent, but criticise his hard, insensitive and cold attitude towards the violence and misery of war. He wins a World Press Photo Award for a photo of a IRA supporter being shot by British troops, but in fact it was his own presence that caused the incident. With his writing colleague Maynard Wilhelm, Loy arrives in El Irouane, a combination of Somalia, Bosnia and Lebanon all shot to pieces. The United Nations have sent troops who are unable to keep the situation under control. While Wilhelm tries to get an interview with a warlord, the silent Loy goes in search of the violence and the right picture. He is introducedto a sniper who is paid to shoot at anything that moves. Loy is fascinated by the similarities between their work: what is the difference between a Leica and a Kalashnikov when it comes down to it?Warshots was shot in Somalia, Northern Ireland and Lebanon, locations that provide a strong feeling of authenticity. Stadtler reveals the moral indecision of his protagonist with compassion and sketches a convincing picture of the actions of reporters in trade war areas.
