In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, former Royal Marine Commando and filmmaker Emile Ghessen joins host Liam Garman to discuss his recent film 45 Days – The Fight For A Nation documenting the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, as well as his last three months monitoring the conflict in Ukraine.
The podcast begins with a reflection of Ghessen’s 12-year career as a Royal Marine, spanning service across the world including Afghanistan and Iraq before working as a high-profile bodyguard.
The pair then discuss Ghessen’s turn toward documentary making, joining colleagues in Syria to document the fight against ISIS in 2017, Ukraine in 2019 and Armenia-Azerbaijan in 2020-21.
45 Days – The Fight For A Nation analyses the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict from a humanitarian perspective, while examining the history of intergenerational trauma in Armenia dating back to the Armenian genocide.
However, when promoting the film in Hollywood – Russia began their invasion of Ukraine, prompting Ghessen to travel to Ukraine to document the day-to-day of life in Ukraine.
Ghessen details his last three months in Ukraine, providing insight into the recent conflict direct from the front lines – including failures within Russian military strategy, irregular warfare behind enemy lines, the recent siege of Mariupol, and a discussion around the hotly debated Azov Regiment.
To learn more about Ghessen, you can visit his page here or view his recent film 45 Days – The Fight For A Nation here.
Enjoy the podcast,
The Defence Connect Team
Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:
Episode 329: PODCAST: Remembering the fall of Kabul, with Fred Smith
Episode 328: PODCAST: The Defence Strategic Review, shaping the future ADF
Episode 327: PODCAST: Readying Australia for the nuclear submarine revolution
Episode 326: PODCAST: The future of ISR satellites, with Kleos co-founder Andy Bowyer
Episode 325: PODCAST: In conversation with the head of Defence Space Command, Air Vice-Marshal Catherine Roberts
Episode 324: PODCAST: News, public opinion and energy security – unpacking the latest in defence
Episode 323: PODCAST: Cyber security, a legal requirement? With Clyde & Co’s Reece Corbett-Wilkins and Avryl Lattin
Episode 321: PODCAST: News wrap – Chapter closed: Subs program turns new page
Episode 320: SPOTLIGHT: Revolutionising the space domain, with Lockheed Martin Australia and Inovor Technologies
Episode 319: PODCAST: Supporting defence businesses, with DSTG’s Nigel McGinty and Robert Hunjet
