Controversy Surrounds Iconic Vietnam War Photo: New Documentary Questions Authorship
A Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph that has become an enduring symbol of the horrors of war has been at the centre of a heated debate in recent months. The image, known as “Napalm Girl,” was taken during the Vietnam War in 1972 and depicts a young girl fleeing a napalm attack in the South Vietnamese village of Trảng Bàn. For decades, the photo has been attributed to Nick Út, a Vietnamese AP staffer, but a new documentary film titled “The Stringer” has cast doubt on this attribution, suggesting that a freelance photographer named Nguyễn Thành Nghệ may have actually taken the picture.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film’s director, Bao Nguyen, has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the photo’s authorship. In an exclusive interview with the publication, Nguyen revealed that the film uses archival footage, testimonies, forensic recreations, and other means to investigate who really took the photo. The film makes a strong case that Nghệ, who was a freelance photographer at the time, was the one who took the photo, not Út. As Nguyen noted, “I don’t ever try to speak in absolutes. I truly do believe Nghệ is the one who took the photograph.”
The documentary film has been met with a mixture of reactions, with some in the journalism community defending Út and others questioning the attribution. The Associated Press (AP) recently announced that it had completed its own investigation and concluded that Út was in a position to take the photo, and therefore, it would continue to credit him. However, the World Press Photo foundation, a leading voice in photojournalism, reached a different conclusion, suspending Út’s credit and suggesting that there was a good chance Nghệ or another photographer had taken the image.
Nguyen has expressed surprise at the reaction from some journalists, saying that he had expected a more open-minded response. As he stated, “I’ve been surprised by people’s opinions towards something that they haven’t watched, to be honest, especially among journalists.” He also noted that the film’s investigation was not about relying on institutions to bestow truth, but about telling Nghệ’s story and giving him a voice.
The film’s investigation, led by investigative journalists Gary Knight, Fiona Turner, Terri Lichstein, and Lê Văn, has uncovered new evidence and testimony that supports Nghệ’s claim to have taken the photo. According to The Hollywood Reporter, attendees of the Sundance premiere of “The Stringer” were surprised to learn that Nghệ himself was in the audience, frail but standing proud, saying in Vietnamese-accented English, simply, “I took the photo.”
Nguyen’s film chronicles the work of the investigative journalists as they tracked down the origins of the photograph through the fog of war and time. As The Hollywood Reporter praised, “The Stringer”‘s restrained structure is “the stuff of Conrad or Dostoyevsky.” The film has sparked a heated debate about the nature of truth and attribution in journalism, and it is clear that the controversy surrounding the photo’s authorship is far from over.
In response to the AP’s investigation, Nick Út’s lawyer, James Hornstein, issued a statement saying that the World Press Photo decision was “deplorable and unprofessional” and “reveals how low the organization has fallen.” However, Nguyen remains committed to sharing Nghệ’s story, saying that he expects to share the film with audiences around the world this year.
As the debate continues, it is clear that “The Stringer” has sparked a necessary conversation about the complexities of truth and attribution in journalism. As Nguyen noted, “It’s not about waiting for them to bestow something to me as a filmmaker. It was about Nghệ. Having the chance to tell the world his truth and his story and his perspective on something that happened 53 years ago.”
The film’s release is highly anticipated, and it is expected to shed new light on the events surrounding the iconic photograph. With its restrained structure and thought-provoking investigation, “The Stringer” is sure to be a major documentary release of the year.
In a statement, Patrick Maks, the Director of Media Relations and Corporate Communications for The Associated Press, forwarded the statement issued with the release of the investigation, which said, “AP’s extensive visual analysis, interviews with witnesses and examination of all available photos taken on June 8, 1972, show it is possible Ut took this picture. None of this material proves anyone else did.”
The controversy surrounding the photo’s authorship is a complex one, and it will be interesting to see how it unfolds in the coming months. One thing is certain, however: “The Stringer” has sparked a necessary conversation about the nature of truth and attribution in journalism, and it will be a major player in the ongoing debate.
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