Netflix Acquires ‘The Stringer’ Documentary: A Challenge to ‘Napalm Girl’ Narrative

Netflix has made a big move and reportedly acquired the rights to the controversial documentary, The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo. This documentary challenges the widely accepted idea that photographer Nick Ut captured the iconic photo known as “Napalm Girl.” Instead, it argues that the true photographer was a local stringer named Nguyễn Thành Nghệ. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year and caused quite a stir in the industry. However, after an extensive investigation, the Associated Press (AP) has refuted the claim that Ut was not the photographer of the famous image.

The dispute centers around the famous “Napalm Girl” photo, but the AP has vouched for Ut as the rightful photographer based on historical records. The film is said to heavily rely on the input of Associated Press photo editor Carl Robinson, who was present at the time of the photo’s capture. Despite conflicting reports, the AP confirms that Ut has always been credited as the author of the photo, and they will continue to credit him, regardless of the documentary’s claims.

Since the documentary screened, there has been controversy surrounding the photo credit, with World Press Photo suspending Ut’s credit on the image, much to the dismay of many photographers. Ut himself has expressed his intent to file a defamation lawsuit against the documentary’s producers, emphatically stating that he is the rightful creator of the iconic photograph.

Although Netflix has not officially confirmed the acquisition of the documentary, reports suggest that it will be available for streaming in 2025. Stay tuned for more updates on this intriguing saga in the world of photojournalism and documentary filmmaking.