The FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025 has revealed its winners. Márcio Vasconcelos was chosen by the Jury as the Overall Winner, with the portfolio Wizards and Healers: Bantu Magic across Africa, Cuba, and Maranhão. The work is the result of extensive research on the African diaspora in Brazil and Cuba, portraying Afro-descendant religious rituals.
In an interview for the FotoDoc Festival website, Vasconcelos described his work: “As a photographer-researcher, I identify with themes related to African-based religions, even though I am not initiated. Most of my completed and ongoing works are always connected to ancestry,” he said.
As the Overall Winner of the FotoDoc Photo Contest, Márcio Vasconcelos has been invited to join the FotoDoc Festival 2025 to present his work in the Encounters series and to receive a Trophy specially designed by artist Henrique Rien.
Other Winners
With submissions closed on July 13, the contest received a total of 3,597 entries from photographers across all 27 states of Brazil as well as from abroad.
This edition of the contest stands out for the significant growth of international participation, with entries from 31 countries: Argentina, Angola, Benin, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Panama, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
The Jury of the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025 — composed of Érico Elias, Artistic Director of the FotoDoc Festival; Elcio Ohnuma, Photography Coordinator at Panamericana School of Art and Design; as well as Érico Hiller, Ivana Debértolis, and Mônica Zarattini, guest for the 2025 festival edition — met in person at the Panamericana School of Art and Design in São Paulo.
Another 24 works were selected by the Jury as winners in the categories Portfolio, Photo Essay, and Single Image. All of them will be exhibited at the Festival.
Click here to discover all the winners of the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025
