Among the numerous prizes at the Visa pour l'image photojournalism festival in Perpignan, the prestigious Visa d'or News was awarded to Ivor Prickett of the New York Times for his work on the war in Sudan. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Humanitarian Visa d'Or went to Saher Alghorra for his work in the Gaza Strip, while George Steinmetz received lifetime achievement award.
The Irish photographer, who was awarded the prize for his coverage of the battle for Khartoum, which pitted the Sudanese army against the paramilitary militia FSR (Rapid Support Forces) between 2023 and 2025 for control of the country's capital, expressed "great surprise" and said the award was "a great honour" for him.
"For this work on Sudan, the problem was gaining access to this war. I'm lucky to have had access to it," he added.
His photos show the daily life of the civil war, with its share of material destruction and, above all, the suffering of a population trying to survive in particularly difficult conditions, while remaining "strong despite what is happening."
The Visa d'Or Magazine was awarded Friday evening to South African Getty Images photographer Brent Stirton for his report on Virunga National Park, the oldest and largest in Africa, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Several armed groups supported by Rwanda and Uganda are present there, some of which are plundering the DRC's wealth.
His photographs depict an elephant decapitated for its ivory or a gorilla slaughtered in the jungle, as well as rangers patrolling to combat illegal charcoal production or arresting poachers.
The photographer described his work in the park as "a modest attempt to pay tribute to this extraordinary place on the occasion of its 100th anniversary."
Resilience in Gaza
The leading international event dedicated to photojournalism, the 37th edition of Visa pour l'image in Perpignan offers snapshots of a world "ever more cruel to the innocent," victims of the climate crisis and global conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza.
Among other awards, the Visa d'or from the City of Perpignan Rémi Ochlik was awarded to Alfredo Bosco for his work combating synthetic drug trafficking in Iraq, where sales and distribution are on the rise.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Humanitarian Visa d'Or, which annually recognises a professional photojournalist who has covered a humanitarian issue related to armed conflict, was awarded to Saher Alghorra (Zuma Press) for his work in the Gaza Strip.
In the photos taken by this 26-year-old photographer, still trapped in the Palestinian enclave, we see little girls dressed in pretty dresses on their way to school, children on a swing, others smiling at a motor oil stand, or on the beach trying to escape the war.
While depicting death and hunger, the photojournalist reveals the resilience of the population, which "continues this semblance of reality," according to Aruallan, a photographer in constant contact with the Gazan.
Global food systems
The Visa d'Or d'honneur from Figaro Magazine, intended to recognise the work of an established photographer still practicing for their entire professional career, was awarded to George Steinmetz.
This year in Perpignan, with his images of megafarms, overfishing, and enormous livestock farms, the American photographer took to the skies, by motorized paraglider or with a drone, to provide "transparency" on the global food system and its "significant impact on the environment."
"It's interesting to know where your food comes from," he says. "You have to be conscious of your choices when you shop."
(with AFP)
► Visa pour l'Image runs from 30 August to 14 September, 2025.
