Mads Nissen's 'The First Embrace' wins World Press Photo of the Year 2021
The First Embrace (The first hug), from the Danish mads nissen (Politiken/Panos Pictures) has won the most prestigious award in photojournalism, the World Press Photo of the Year 2021.
Nidssen says that what he likes about his photograph, what pushed him to submit it to the contest, is that it shows the contrast between the horror that the pandemic is causing, in this case in Brazil where it was taken over, and hope. "For me it speaks of hope and love in difficult times. When I heard about the crisis that was unfolding in Brazil and about the poor leadership of President Bolsonaro who, from the beginning, despised the virus calling it a 'little cold', I felt the urgent need to do something about it.
In the photograph, Nissen captures the moment when Rosa Luzia Lunardi, 85 years old , finally receives a hug, that of his nurse and caregiver Adriana Silva daCosta Souza . The image was taken at the Viva Bem residence in São Paulo on August 5.
The World Press Photo jury, which this year celebrated its 64th edition, sought good visual journalism and, above all, that it was ethical. Images that transported us to the place and that did it with force, telling a story from the heart. The prize has an economic endowment of 5,000 euros.
A) Yes, Kevin W. Y. Lee , photographer, creative director and jury of the contest this 2021, describes the winning image: "This iconic image of Covid-19 reflects the most extraordinary moment of our lives, anywhere. I see vulnerability, loved ones, loss and separation, death; but, and it is important, also survival. All in a single image. If you look at the image for a while, you will see wings: a symbol of flight and hope."
The World Press Photo Story of the Year has been for Habibi , from Italian Antonio Faccilongo (Getty Report). The jury was looking for a story that had not been talked about much before, that delved into the details, that had a journey through time and that, in addition to a powerful narrative, was also surprising.
The winning series collects love stories that have as a backdrop one of the longest and most complicated conflicts of our time, the war between Palestinians and Israelis. With the images of him, Faccilongo reflects the impact he has on Palestinian families and the difficulties they face to preserve their reproductive rights and dignity.
"My work has the ambition to be a cultural bridge and bring people together" assures Faccilongo.
The digital also has its space in the contest. Thus, in the category of World Press Photo Interactive of the Year, in which the jury valued aspects such as creativity when telling a story, the ability to surprise and impress, good design or the use of different media, the award has been for Reconstructing Seven Days of Protests in Minneapolis After George Floyd's Death . This is a work on the seven days of protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis by Matt Daniels, Amelia Wattenberger (The Pudding) and Holly Bailey (The Washington Post).
The award in the category World Press Photo Online Video of the Year has been for Calling Back from Wuhan , a work by Shenlai Yang and Tang Xiaolan, which reflects the life of a middle-class family in Wuham, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, based on audio notes.
The images can be seen in a traveling exhibition that will arrive next November 10 at the CCCB (Centre for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona), where it will remain until December 12.