Photographer Nick Ut Sues Netflix Over 'Napalm Girl' Documentary

Photographer Nick Ut, the freelancer long credited for the award-winning photo from the Vietnam War, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix over a documentary questioning his work. The lawsuit claims that the documentary, which aired on Netflix, defamed Ut by suggesting that the iconic 'Napalm Girl' photo was staged.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the documentary's claims about the photo's authenticity are false and damaging to Ut's reputation. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a court order to remove the documentary from Netflix's platform.

The 'Napalm Girl' photo, taken in 1972, shows a young girl running naked and screaming after being severely burned in a napalm attack in Vietnam. The photo won the Pulitzer Prize and has become an iconic symbol of the Vietnam War.

Netflix has not commented on the lawsuit, but the company has faced criticism in the past for its handling of documentaries that have been accused of being inaccurate or misleading.

The lawsuit is the latest development in a long-running controversy over the authenticity of the 'Napalm Girl' photo. In 2018, a Vietnamese photographer claimed that the photo was staged, but Ut and other photographers who were present at the scene have consistently denied the claim.

The case is a reminder of the ongoing debate over the role of documentary filmmakers and the responsibility they have to ensure the accuracy of their work. It also highlights the challenges of verifying the authenticity of historical events and the importance of respecting the rights of those who were involved.

Sources

[1] Photographer Nick Ut Sues Netflix Over 'Napalm Girl' Documentary