Note to Teachers: The film includes graphic and disturbing images. Please preview it to make sure it is appropriate for your students.
“Motaz Azaiza Captured Gaza’s Suffering. But ‘Nothing Changed.’” is a six-minute film profiling a Palestinian photographer who is documenting a war while also trying to survive it. When war between Israel and Hamas broke out in Gaza on Oct. 7, Motaz Azaiza, 25, turned his camera to covering pain and loss in a territory under siege. “I didn’t want to be a war photojournalist,” Mr. Azaiza says in the film. But in doing so, he attracted millions of followers — riveted both by his powerful, unfiltered images and his bravery.
What did you learn about the role of photojournalists during a time of war? What can we learn about the people who risk their lives to document tragic conflicts?
Students
1. Watch the short film above. While you watch, you might take notes using our Film Club Double-Entry Journal (PDF) to help you remember specific moments.
2. After watching, think about these questions:
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What questions do you still have?
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What connections can you make between this film and your own life or experience? Why? Does this film remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen? If so, how and why?
3. An additional challenge | Respond to the essential question at the top of this post: What can we learn from Motaz Azaiza’s story and about the role of photojournalists during wartime?
4. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)
5. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.
Want more student-friendly videos? Visit our Film Club column.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.