Photo: Collected
The ceremony for the 10th International Andrei Stenin Press Photo Contest was held at the State Museum of Contemporary History of Russia in Moscow on Tuesday.
Anna Plyusnina, a photo artist from St. Petersburg, won the Grand Prix at the contest. The international jury unanimously awarded her the top prize for her series of photographs titled "Looking into Human Eyes," which portrays children with autism spectrum disorder and their families.
The series of photographs was featured in the Portrait. A Hero of Our Time category.
Alongside the Grand Prix, the prize winners from the 2024 shortlist were also announced.
In the Top News category for single images, the top prize went to Vladislav Nekrasov from Novosibirsk for his photograph titled His Duty. The image captures a pilot of the Ural Airlines passenger plane that did an emergency landing in a field in the Novosibirsk Region.
In the Top News category for series, the first place was awarded to Frederique Gelinas from Italy for her series The Time of Agave, which delves into the agave variety used to produce mezcal. The increasing global demand for mezcal is exerting pressure on Mexico, often overlooking the plant’s natural growth cycle. The agave industry stands at the crossroads of ancient traditions and evolving modernity.
In the Sport category, the top prize in the single photo category was given to Mohammed Suman from Bangladesh for his work titled Children of Chittagong are Playing on Piles of Dirt. The photograph captures a city without playgrounds where children could spend their free time.
In the highly favored My Planet category, the top single photograph was Where Green is not Life by Paula Jesus Brignardello, Italy. The image offers a striking portrayal of a dystopian vision, where the color green takes on a hellish quality. In this vision, survival becomes a struggle not just for food, but for every breath.
In the My Planet category, the top series was Memories of Underdevelopment by Mosfiqur Rahman Johan from Bangladesh. This series combines vivid recollections from the photographer’s childhood, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and loss that individuals confront.
In the Portrait. A Hero of Our Time category, the standout works came from photojournalists in Russia and India. One notable piece is The Children were Scared, but I am a Father Myself by Alexander Oshchepkovfrom Novosibirsk. This work features Rza Rzayev, an Azerbaijani loader who bravely carried children through boiling water during an accident in the city. Rza chose to donate to an orphanage the money that the locals collected for him to visit his family. “The children were scared, but I am a father myself,” Rza said.
The series Outcast Widows by Indian reporter Rajendra Pandeyexamines the city of Vrindavan in India, where approximately 20,000 widows live, being mistreated by their own families.
The most atmospheric photographs were showcased in the Top View. Singles category. The prize was awarded to Aung Chan Thar from Myanmar for his captivating photo titled Lily Flowers. This image captures a serene morning in Vietnam and people who gently clean lily flowers with water, which highlights their natural beauty. From an aerial perspective, this simple ritual resembles an elegant dance, with intricate patterns and vibrant flowers set against a tranquil landscape.
Messenger/Disha
