1ST PLACE – SINGLE IMAGE
Edoardo Marangon, Italy
Untitled
Said, a 27-year-old Ukrainian soldier, during his rest day after completing a two-day mission in the town of Bachmut. Inside the bunker, he plays a video game using technology that the Ukrainian military employs for drone control in identifying enemy positions. Visible on Said’s leg are scars from wounds sustained on a previous mission; he returned to the front lines after only a few months. At the foot of his bed lie his ever-ready rifle, boots, and battle equipment.
2ND PLACE – SINGLE IMAGE
Thomas Giotopoulos, Greece
Thrinos
This photo was taken at the funeral of the 16 year old roma Kostas Fragoulis, who was fatally shot by a policeman on December 5, 2022. The 16-year-old reportedly sped out of a petrol station without paying a €20 fuel bill. Officers from a police motorcycle patrol chased the boy who was driving a pickup truck and shot him in the head. The murder led to violent riots in both Thessaloniki and Athens, as communities rallied against police brutality and injustice.
3RD PLACE – SINGLE IMAGE
Roberta Vagliani, Italy
The Right to Know
Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”. Captured in a Zanzibar school with no desks, chairs or schools supplies, THE RIGHT TO KNOW spotlights the subjects armed solely with a notebook and their own memory. Knowledge is passed on to them by a single master. In every person there is the possibility to transform the world.
1ST PLACE – SERIES
Siodos, France
In the Shadow of the Living
The series is part two of a project dedicated to the notion of marginality unfolds on the bustling streets, capturing the lives of those often overlooked. Dividing the subject into distinct landscapes, the photographer employs analog techniques, using aged films and a glass filter slid in front of the camera.
2ND PLACE – SERIES
Daniel Sackheim, United States
Unseen
“There are no beautiful surfaces without a terrible depth.” – Friedrich Nietzsche. Inspired by the visual aesthetic of Film Noir, this series explores isolated fragments of subjects once there but now gone, as a means of shining a light on what is hidden, if only for an instant.
3RD PLACE – SERIES
Karim Mottaghi, Iran
Death Comes Home Without Knocking
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, a grim specter swept across the globe, leaving no country unscathed. While first-world nations implemented stringent measures to combat the virus, the situation was markedly different in some developing countries.
HONORABLE MENTION BY TRENT PARKE
Ilia Denbrov, Kyrgyzstan
Stranded on the desolate stretch between Bishkek and Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, a man and his family find themselves in a malfunctioning car. The emptiness of the road stretches before them, as quiet and still as their unexpected adventure.
HONORABLE MENTION BY KITRA CAHANA
Prosanjit Kumar, Bangladesh
In river-laced Bangladesh, waterways serve as crucial arteries for transportation. Captured in the frame is a sailor who braves a tempest, defying nature’s fury to ferry passengers safely to their destination.
HONORABLE MENTION BY ISADORA KOSOFSKY
Yosuke Shimizu, Japan
In a hamburger store, an elderly couple’s faces are momentarily kissed by a stray beam of light. For a fleeting moment, their son, a towering figure, had been blocking the light as he animatedly conversed with them. The moment he steps away from his seat, the light that had been obscured by his back suddenly bathed the couple in a warm glow.
Each individual has a unique role in life’s intricate tapestry. The question then arises: can we capture the sublime essence of life as vividly as this elderly couple seems to embody it?
HONORABLE MENTION BY MARK ABRAMSON
Brad Jones, United States
A Fragile Utopia 107.
HONORABLE MENTION BY F. DILEK YURDAKUL
Pawel Kosicki, Poland
Homework in Cemetery, Mexico.
HONORABLE MENTION BY NARELLE AUTIO
Abhishek Singh, India
Each year, something extraordinary unfolds at Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, Varanasi’s revered cremation grounds. Through this singular festival, the essence, vitality, and time-honored custom come vividly to life.
HONORABLE MENTION BY LAYLAH AMATULLAH BARRAYN
Katerina Churbakova, Cyprus
Nestled within Valaam Island and its surrounding islets, an ancient complex of churches and sketes stands as one of Russia’s largest male Orthodox monasteries. Far from conforming to monastic stereotypes, life on Valaam mirrors broader society in miniature.
HONORABLE MENTION BY EMIN ÖZMEN
Md. Zobayer Hossain Joati, Bangladesh
Originating during the British colonial era, martial arts fighting techniques initially served to safeguard villagers from oppressive Zamindars (landowners) and their tax-collecting enforcers. Today, the art form wears many hats.
HONORABLE MENTION BY RICHARD KOCI HERNANDEZ
Spiros Loukopoulos, Greece
The series presents classic photography with a fresh twist, embracing the freedom to explore and question our surroundings. A NEW BEGINNING focuses on the ethereal and spiritual aspects of life and aims to remain a lifelong quest for understanding and expression.
HONORABLE MENTION BY MARCO SAVARESE
Argus Paul Estabrook, South Korea / USA
In the bustling arenas of greater Seoul, two pioneering organizations, the Pro Wrestling Society (PWS) and the World Wrestling Association (WWA), aim to popularize the high-octane drama of professional wrestling.
OPEN CALL 2023
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CONTEST
Open Call 2023
Second Edition. Where the project found its language, shown in Naples.
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FINALISTS
Single Category
The 2023 reading in a single image. Thirty-nine single photographs read by the jury.
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FINALISTS
Series Category
The 2023 reading in extended sequences. Fifteen photo essays read by the jury.
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