Ukraine War Reporter Meets Oscar-Winning Director: Are Today's Wars Like WWII?

Best known for his film 12 Years A Slave which won an Oscar, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, British director and screenwriter Steve McQueen’s latest work Blitz focuses on the German bombing of London in the Second World War and one woman (Saoirse Ronan) and her son caught up in it.

Christina Lamb is the Sunday Times chief foreign correspondent, currently most often to be found in Ukraine or the Middle East. She has spent over three decades reporting conflicts from around the world and has always been most interested in the human cost and how people live during war, particularly women and children.

In this conversation, she and McQueen discuss the themes of Blitz, how realistic it is in depicting war, and its relevance to global conflicts today.
Blitz is available now on Apple TV.

Interview by Christina Lamb
Produced by Josh Arnold
Hair and Makeup Artist: Jodie Hyams
Production Manager: Sarah Barnes
DOP: Ash Davies
Edit by Richard Simkins





00:00 - Impact of war on storytelling
00:32 - Christina Lamb's background and interest in war
01:09 - Decision to make a war film
02:03 - War through media and personal experience
02:25 - Bringing war home and focus on a mixed-race child
03:19 - Women's role in war and their portrayal
05:27 - Relevance of the Blitz and shelter stories
06:33 - Myth of the Blitz spirit and human resilience
08:46 - Racism in shelters and contemporary relevance
09:35 - Engaging audiences with war stories
10:24 - Psychological aftermath of war
11:08 - Decline in art education and its implications
12:28 - Future plans and personal interests