Nick Ut speaks out on Netflix documentary challenging ‘Napalm Girl’ photo credit

Last night, Nick Ut, the Associated Press photographer famous for capturing the iconic “Napalm Girl” photo, was honored at the Visa pour l’Image festival in France. This recognition came just days after Netflix acquired “The Stringer,” a documentary that questions Ut’s role in taking the historic photo. Despite the controversy surrounding the documentary, Ut received a heartfelt ovation and continued to defend his position as the true photographer.

During the event, Visa pour l’Image Director General Jean-François Leroy expressed unwavering support for Ut and other photojournalists who risked their lives during the Vietnam War to report on the conflict. Leroy emphasized the importance of standing by Ut in the absence of concrete evidence and defended the integrity of the profession and the festival’s mission.

When “The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo” premiered at Sundance earlier this year, it sparked significant debate within the photography industry. The documentary suggests that a local stringer, Nguyễn Thành Nghệ, may have captured the infamous “Napalm Girl” image, rather than Ut. This photograph, widely distributed by the Associated Press, played a pivotal role in shaping public perception of the Vietnam War and earned Ut a Pulitzer Prize.

The Associated Press conducted a thorough investigation into the authorship of the photograph, ultimately upholding Ut’s credit due to insufficient evidence to verify the claims made in “The Stringer.” However, World Press Photo took a different stance and suspended Ut’s credit, citing significant doubts about the photo’s origins.

Director Bao Nguyen, who helmed “The Stringer,” defended the documentary’s findings and highlighted the importance of recognizing the overlooked contributions of Nguyễn Thành Nghệ. Despite the controversies surrounding the film, Nguyen emphasized that the documentary aims to shed light on the complexities of truth, memory, and historical narratives.

Following World Press Photo’s decision to remove Ut’s credit, hundreds of photojournalists rallied in support of Ut, reaffirming his legacy and contributions to the field. Ut’s appearance at the Visa pour l’Image festival in France, where he received a standing ovation from a crowd of over 2,600 attendees, served as a testament to his enduring impact on photojournalism.

In response to Netflix’s acquisition of “The Stringer,” Ut’s legal team issued a statement defending his authorship of the iconic photograph and urging a commitment to truth and accuracy in storytelling. Despite the ongoing debates surrounding the “Napalm Girl” photo, Ut remains steadfast in his dedication to his craft and legacy in the field of photojournalism.