Lionheart: The Story of Saleh

For more than twenty years, Deanne Fitzmaurice has photographed Saleh Khalaf’s journey from a nine year old Iraqi child brought to the United States for lifesaving medical treatment after a bomb explosion at the start of the US invasion of Iraq. Now he is a man navigating the complexities of life as a maimed refugee in America. What began as a story about his personal struggle has evolved into a broader narrative about the brutal effects of war on civilians. Through Saleh’s experience, this project explores trauma, resilience, healing and hope, offering an intimate insight into the long term challenges of rebuilding a life after devastating war injuries.

What you will take away:
• How sustained documentary practice can reveal long term social and psychological impacts of conflict
• Approaches to ethically photographing trauma, consent and narrative responsibility over many years
• Practical storytelling methods for structuring multi year work into compelling exhibitions, talks and publications

Who this is for:
• Photojournalists, documentary photographers and filmmakers working on human stories over time
• Editors, curators and educators seeking case studies on ethics and impact in conflict related work
• Students and practitioners interested in long form visual narratives, access building and audience engagement