Two visionaries in the field of photojournalism have been named winners of the debut edition of the Independent Freelance Photojournalist Awards 2021 (IFPA) at the sixth edition of Xposure International Photography Festival.

Ivan Abreu, a filmmaker, photographer and multimedia journalist from Brazil, was named the winner for his work, ‘Hong Kong, Times of Dissent’. Darrin Zammit Lupi, a Reuters photojournalist based in Malta, was recognised as the runner-up for his body of work titled,‘Rescue in the Mediterranean’.

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, the USD $15,000 Award attracted a total of 1,265 pictures with 133 submissions from 51 countries. The Award recognises and rewards independent and freelance photojournalists whose images support news stories and bring awareness to urgent issues of impact from around the world.

Ivan Abreu’s photographic project, which documents a turning point in Hong Kong’s history, was adjudged the top winner from a shortlist of five nominees. The Hong Kong-based photographer captured the mass demonstrations of 2019-20 that saw clashes unfold between protesters and police in ‘Hong Kong, Times of Dissent’. The pictures in the award-winning project were taken during some of the main protests, rallies, and assemblies. Abreu attended the session virtually.

Darrin Zammit Lupi’s‘Rescue in the Mediterranean’ was shot in July/August 2021 and the photographs in the project depicted six dramatic migrant rescue operations carried out by German NGO migrant rescue ship, Sea-Watch 3. in the central Mediterranean Sea off Sicily, Italy – the world’s deadliest migration route.

Announcing the finalists, distinguished jury member Lars Boering, Director of the European Journalism Centre, admitted that it was a tough call for the IFPA jury to choose from the high calibre and extraordinary images representing some of the finest examples of visual journalism. He said: “I applaud the courage and bravery of our winners for remaining true to the spirit of photojournalism and capturing these important moments in history. The Xposure Independent Freelance Photojournalist Awards (IFPA)serve as a great platform for the photojournalism community to be seen more and recognised for the exceptional news stories they bring to our attention.”

The other shortlisted nominees included Cletus Nelson Nwadike, whose project ‘Life and Labour in Nigeria’, documents young boys and men in Nigeria who depend on manual work for survival; Javier Arcenillaswas nominated for ‘Gangborder’, which portrays the lives of inmates in El Salvadorian prisons undergoing a government reintegration programme; and Mustafa Bilge Satkın was shortlisted for ‘Drowned History’, which tells the story of the displaced people of the ancient city of Hasankeyf, Turkey.

IFPA 2021-2022 received entries under three categories: Spot News, Environment, and Solutions.