The Middle East at the heart of the Bayeux 2019 Awards

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Sami Boukhelifa (right), a journalist with RFI, received the Prix Bayeux Calvados-Normandie Prize on October 12, 2019. LM

The 26th edition of the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award has awarded its ten awards for journalists and photographers for their reports in war zones.

From our special correspondent to Bayeux,

Once for sure, the Middle East was at the center of the awards ceremony of war correspondents in Bayeux on October 12. Many of the nominees in all categories have had to shorten their stay in Normandy to go to northern Syria or southern Turkey where the conflict is resurging.

Patrick Chauvel, doubly rewarded for his report to Baghouz in Syria, was also not content when he shouted his rage at the Turkish offensive today: " We abandon the Kurds, and I find it disgusting. History repeats itself, the Kurds have become the harkis of the region. We must not abandon people. "

This seasoned war photographer, documentary filmmaker and writer who has covered 34 wars also paid tribute to the fighters who risk their lives in these conflict zones, " often young people, students, who want the world be informed of what they are going through in the middle of the war ".

The Bayeux-Calvados Award rewards photographer Patrick Chauvel https://t.co/TgiGVzoiWI pic.twitter.com/5iUXKAIxnW

"For Sama", again and again

Many members of the jury, but also the politicians on stage, confessed their surprise at the ovation that provoked the screening of the documentary Pour Sama on the siege of Aleppo. " A moment to register at the Bayeux Prize Hall of Fame ", according to Patrick Gomont, mayor of the Norman city, obviously also upset by this film showing the nearest horrors lived by the inhabitants of this Syrian city.

►A (re) read: "For Sama", documentary on the Aleppo siege ovation at Bayeux price

" We live in an era of populism, and the consequences of all these wars are coming back to us, to France, to England, and so on. And the politicians benefit, "said Gary Knight, president of the jury. And the famous British war photographer added: " I think it's very important to have independent voices on the ground, so that society can understand. "

The mayor of Bayeux was pleased that the interest of the public for the international news is every year more important, more than 40 000 people came to attend the various projections on the current conflicts in the four corners of the world. " Thanks for rushing us, thank you for surprising us ," he told reporters and photographers present on Saturday night, applauded by more than a thousand spectators.

► The winners

For two days, more than forty major reporters gathered to award the trophies for this 2019 edition.

♦ Seven trophies awarded by the international jury:

Written press : Fritz Schaap, for Der Spiegel with "The war and the epidemic" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Television : Orla Guérin, Lee Durant and Nicola Careem, for BBC News with "Yemen: a bus hit by an air strike".

Radio: Sami Boukhelifa , for RFI with "Journey to the end of the caliphate" in Syria.

Very happy and very proud to win the 1st @Bayeux Awards of War Correspondents, radio category @RFI. Congratulations to @sophparm and @M_Mondoloni for the 2nd and 3rd prizes. And for the selected @RFI @normandmarie and @Flomorice https://t.co/PjefzTXmAT

Photo: Patrick Chauvel, freelance for Paris Match with "Syria, the end of Baghouz".

Large format television: Clément Gargoullaud and Shafat Farooq, for Babel Press for Arte Reportage with "Kashmir: the faces of anger" in India.

Young reporter: Wilson Fache, for L'Orient-le Jour / The national newspaper and Vice with "Gaza, noir year".

Video image : Clément Gargoullaud for Babel Press for Arte Reportage with "Kashmir: faces of anger" in India.

♦ Three special prices :

Jean-Marin West-France Prize : Fritz Schaap, for Der Spiegel with "The war and the epidemic" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Audience Award: Patrick Chauvel, freelance for Paris Match with "Syria, the end of Baghouz".

Prize Normandy region of high school students and apprentices : Leo Ramirez, Jesus Olarte, Yorman Maldonado, Carlo Reyes, Natasha Vazquez and Edinson Estupinan, for AFP TV with "Venezuela: crisis at the border".

► A (re) read: The Bayeux Prize rewards RFI journalist Sami Boukhelifa