Top Xposure award presented jointly for first time in history

The 10th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival (2026) marked a historic milestone in the evolution of its awards programme, as the Independent and Freelance Photojournalist Award was presented jointly for the first time since its inception.

The jury announced Josh Edelson as co-winner for his project Inferno: California on Fire, alongside Nicole Tung for Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye, recognising the exceptional documentary depth and human impact of both works.

The announcement was made during an official award ceremony held as part of the festival programme, where Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), presented the awards to the winners. Photojournalist James Clarke accepted the award on behalf of Nicole Tung.

The ceremony was attended by leading media figures, photographers, visual storytellers, and cultural stakeholders, and coincided with the presentation of honours under Xposure’s Global Focus Project (GFP).

The two winning projects were selected from a shortlist of eight finalists. Josh Edelson’s Inferno: California on Fire documents the devastating environmental and human consequences of large-scale wildfires in the United States, offering a stark visual account of climate-driven disasters.

In contrast, Nicole Tung’s Ukraine: The Shortest Goodbye captures intimate moments of loss and separation amid war, presenting a powerful human narrative shaped by conflict and displacement.

Together, the two works reflect the award’s core mission to honour independent and freelance photojournalists who demonstrate persistence, integrity, and courage in documenting complex global realities.

Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, honoured 12 photographers, one man and one woman from each of six continents, under the Global Focus Project, an initiative that highlights diverse perspectives and reinforces Xposure’s role as a platform for cross-cultural dialogue through photography.

From Africa, Nigerian photographer Oyewole Lawal was recognised for Earth’s Frontline Guardians of Gaia: The Unseen Eco Warriors, alongside Egyptian photographer Amina Kadous for White Gold.

Representing Asia, Chinese photographer Kechun Zhang was awarded for The Yellow River, while Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf received recognition for Out of Gaza. From Europe, Slovenian photographer Ciril Jazbec was honoured for Between Ice and Light, alongside Svet Jacqueline for When the Smoke Clears.

From North America, Canadian photojournalist Amber Bracken was recognised for Wetsuwet’en Resistance, together with Mexican photographer Felix Márquez for With No Ithaca Awaiting. Representing Oceania and Australia, Australian photographer Aletheia Casey received the award for A Lost Place, alongside Joel Benguigui for Out of Context.

From South America, Peruvian photojournalist Alessandro Cinque was honoured for El Precio de la Tierra, together with Peruvian artist Ana Sotelo for Portraits of the Multiverse.

Abraham Joffe at Xposure 2026: Award-winning filmmaker and cinematographer Abraham Joffe said he was “shocked” to discover that polar bears – widely regarded as symbols of the climate crisis – continue to be traded internationally, as his hard-hitting investigative documentary Trade Secret made its Middle East debut at the landmark 10th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival (2026).

Directed by Joffe, the documentary examines how polar bears continue to move through a global trade system that operates both within and alongside existing regulations, challenging long-held assumptions about wildlife protection, conservation policy, and commerce.

Following the screening at the festival’s Hadara stage, South African investigative journalist Adam Cruise, who led the investigation across multiple countries, described the film as an effort to document “what happens when protection exists on paper, but not always in practice.”

The film follows Cruise over six years as he traces the movement of polar bear skins from Canada to international markets. Canada is the only one of the five polar bear range states that permits international commercial trade.