World Press Photo and Human Rights Watch are pleased to announce that the French photographer Olivier Jobard has been awarded the third annual Tim Hetherington Grant, set up to celebrate the legacy of the photojournalist and filmmaker killed in Libya in 2011. The annual grant of €20,000, intended to support a photographer in completing an existing project on a human rights theme, was given for Jobard’s project entitled “Dream of a Rain of Perfume”. It was chosen by a selection committee from among 145 applications.
The project “Dream of a Rain of Perfume” shows the human face of migration, one of the most urgent global issues of our time. In this project Jobard follows two young Afghan men whose lives are threatened by the Taliban. In photography and video he chronicles their flight to Europe, from dangerous border crossings to intimate, humorous moments. The project’s title comes from the men’s dream of reaching Paris, a city that, they have heard, helicopters spray with perfume every morning.
The 2013 selection committee of the Tim Hetherington Grant consisted of photographers, editors, and representatives from World Press Photo and Human Rights Watch: Marcus Bleasdale, documentary photographer with VII Photo Agency, Carroll Bogert, deputy executive director for external relations at Human Rights Watch, Pamela Chen, senior photo editor for the National Geographic magazine, Ross Kauffman, documentary film director for Red Light Films and Michiel Munneke, managing director of World Press Photo. Adriaan Monshouwer, founder of Picture Inside, served as the secretary during the selection.
In their unanimous decision, the committee cited Jobard’s dedication to his subject and praised his visual and narrative skills. “He has a consistently excellent approach to both video and photography and uses both media to tell a meaningful, important story. As you watch these men make the transition from their past as Taliban fighters to the Western world, you are drawn into their lives. You want to know what happens to them.” The jury continues: “Jobard uses the surprises in everyday, anecdotal storytelling to reveal the human side of a global, hard-to-understand issue. He makes us care about these people. Empathy and humor are important elements in his work. Even under the worst of circumstances he allows us to breathe a little bit, and smile.”
Reviewing the applications, the selection committee looked for the qualities that defined Hetherington’s career: work that operates on multiple platforms and in a variety of formats; that crosses boundaries between breaking news and longer-term investigation; and that demonstrates a consistent moral commitment to the lives and stories of the photographic subjects.
On behalf of the selection committee, Michiel Munneke said: “Olivier Jobard has been following the issue of migration for over a decade. His long-term involvement mirrors Tim Hetherington’s own dedication to telling a story. Like Tim, he has the visual skills to narrate the story in a very compelling way, so that he draws the viewer in. You feel an emotional response to the key players, which creates a bridge between viewer and subject: you relate to them. With support from the Tim Hetherington Grant, I look forward to seeing this fascinating project find the wide audience it deserves.”
Previous editions
In 2012, the Spanish photographer Fernando Moleres received the second Tim Hetherington Grant for his project “Waiting for an opportunity” that explores the harsh conditions minors face while incarcerated in the adult prison of Pademba, Sierra Leone, and follows them in their struggle to adjust to life outside after release from prison. In 2011, the American photographer Stephen Ferry received the first Tim Hetherington Grant for his project “Violentology: A Manual of the Colombian Conflict”.
The Tim Hetherington Grant is a joint initiative of Human Rights Watch and World Press Photo, and was created in honor of the photojournalist and filmmaker Tim Hetherington killed in Misrata, Libya in April 2011. The application process was open to all professional photographers who have participated in a World Press Photo competition between 2008 and 2013. For more information on the Tim Hetherington Grant, please go to www.worldpressphoto.org/tim-hetherington-grant.
World Press Photo receives support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery and is sponsored worldwide by Canon.
About Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is one of the leading international organizations dedicated to protecting and defending human rights. Its unique methodology combines rigorous research, extensive press outreach, and high-level policy advocacy to document, expose, and press for an end to human rights abuses in 90 countries worldwide. Human Rights Watch was founded as an independent NGO in 1978 in New York. It is a global organization with offices on four continents.
About World Press Photo
World Press Photo organizes the leading international contest in visual journalism. The foundation is committed to supporting and advancing high standards in photojournalism and documentary storytelling worldwide. Its aim is to generate wide public interest in and appreciation for the work of photographers and other visual journalists, and for the free exchange of information. The activities include organizing annual photojournalism and multimedia contests and global exhibition tours. The Academy programs strive to stimulate high-quality visual journalism through educational programs, grants and by creating greater visibility through a variety of publications. World Press Photo is an independent, non-profit organization with its office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where it was founded in 1955.
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Fernando Moleres, premioTim Hetherington por su trabajo en Sierra Leona (PES, 17_nov_2012)
Premio Tim Hetherington: galardonado un trabajo sobre Colombia del fotoperiodista Stephen Ferry (PES, 13_nov_2011)
Libia: un disparo de mortero acaba con la vida del fotoperiodista Tim Hetherington (PES, 21_abr_2011)
