A powerful new documentary film scrutinises the turbulent and groundbreaking career of Seymour Hersh, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose fearless reporting exposed some of the most significant scandals of the modern era. Titled 'Cover-Up', the film, directed by Nicolas Tempert, premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and is now reaching UK audiences.
The Relentless Pursuit of Truth
The documentary meticulously charts Hersh's journey from his early days as a police reporter in Chicago to his explosive work for the Dispatch News Service. It was there, in 1969, that he broke the story of the My Lai massacre, revealing the horrific murder of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by US troops. This reporting earned him the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1970 and established his reputation as a tenacious investigator willing to challenge official narratives.
Later in his career, Hersh would again shake the foundations of American power with his reporting on the Abu Ghraib prison abuses for The New Yorker in 2004. The film highlights how his work, often conducted through cultivating confidential sources within the military and intelligence communities, repeatedly forced the public to confront uncomfortable truths that governments sought to bury.
A Portrait of Isolation and Conviction
Beyond the headline-grabbing stories, 'Cover-Up' paints an intimate and sometimes sombre portrait of the man himself. Now 86, Hersh is shown as a figure operating largely in isolation, driven by an unwavering conviction in his mission. The film does not shy away from the controversies that have followed him, including his later, more contentious theories on events like the killing of Osama bin Laden, which were published outside mainstream outlets and met with widespread scepticism.
Director Nicolas Tempert uses a restrained style, relying heavily on archival footage and a candid, lengthy interview with Hersh. This approach allows the journalist's own words and the weight of the historical record to take centre stage, creating a compelling narrative about the immense personal and professional cost of a life dedicated to digging for secrets.
The Stakes for Modern Journalism
The documentary arrives at a critical juncture for the media industry. It implicitly asks pressing questions about the state of investigative journalism today, where financial pressures, concentrated media ownership, and political hostility create a far more challenging environment for the kind of slow, source-based work Hersh championed.
By examining Hersh's legacy—both his monumental successes and his later, disputed claims—'Cover-Up' serves as a complex meditation on truth, power, and the role of the journalist as an outsider. It celebrates the vital importance of holding power to account while also presenting a clear-eyed view of the toll such a pursuit can exact. The film stands as a stark reminder of why investigative journalism remains essential, and how easily it can be undermined.
For UK viewers, the documentary offers a crucial look at a defining figure in recent history, whose work transcended national borders to expose global truths. It is a sobering but necessary examination of the mechanisms of concealment and the courage required to break them open.
