cesar.dezfuli@gmail.com
+34 630 242 906
Cesar Dezfuli, born in 1991 in Madrid, Spain, in a context of cultural mixture given his Spanish-Iranian origins, is a journalist and documentary photographer whose work often explores themes related to migration, identity, and human rights.
Self-taught in photography and having learned the profession as a journalist in various newsrooms, Dezfuli’s assignments and personal projects have taken him to document different realities worldwide, from covering the elections in Kenya, Rwanda and Kosovo, to documenting families which have gone against China's one-child policy. Since 2015, his focus has been on the migrant crisis at the borders of Europe, with a special focus on the Central Mediterranean migration route.
In 2016, Dezfuli began working on his most renowned project, "Passengers," with which he aims to question the visual representation of migration.
He is a frequent contributor to De Volkskrant and Le Monde newspapers since 2019, while his work has also been published in various international media such as The Guardian, Time, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Aljazeera or the BBC. He has received several awards and grants including the Pictures of the Year International, the Sony World Photography Awards, the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize or the Catchlight Fellowship, among others.
Part of individual or collective exhibitions worldwide, his work has been exhibited at: the National Portrait Gallery, United Kingdom; the Museum of Sydney, Australia; European Center for the Arts, Germany; French Institute of Malaga, Spain; Addis Foto Fest, Ethiopia; or Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, United States.
EDUCATION
2017-2018. Northern Lights Masterclass. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
2017. Hostile Environment Training. Rory Peck Trust. Columbia Journalism School. NY, USA.
2015-2016. Postgraduate in Photojournalism. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Spain.
2014-2015. MUNDE Program. Social Communication. UADE. BsAs, Argentina.
2012-2013. ERASMUS Program. Journalism and Social Communication. Poznan, Poland.
2009-2015. Double Degree in Journalism and Visual Communication. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Madrid, Spain.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022. ‘Passengers’. Centro Cultural de España en Lima. Peru.
2022. ‘Passengers’. Caerbladon CIC Gallery. Malmesbury, UK.
2022. ‘Passengers’. Centro Cultural de España en Montevideo. Uruguay.
2022. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Fotogalería Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo. CDF. Montevideo, Uruguay.
2022. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Kolga Tbilisi Photo. Outdoor. Tbilisi, Georgia.
2022. ‘Dwelling on the margins’. Kolga Tbilisi Photo. Outdoor. Tbilisi, Georgia.
2022. ‘Passengers’. Kolga Tbilisi Photo. Outdoor. Tbilisi, Georgia.
2022. ‘La hija putativa indeseada’, in collaboration with the painter Adriana Cardozo. Espacio Violeta. ULPGC. Gran Canaria, Spain.
2021. ‘La hija putativa indeseada’, in collaboration with the painter Adriana Cardozo. Real Club Victoria. Gran Canaria, Spain.
2021. ‘La hija putativa indeseada’, in collaboration with the painter Adriana Cardozo. Centro Cívico Suárez Naranjo, Gran Canaria, Spain.
2020. ‘Passengers’. Alianza Francesa de Málaga, Spain.
2020. ‘Passengers’. Labum. Comune di Mottola, Italy
2019. ‘Passengers’. EPeKa Cultural Center. Maribor, Slovenia.
2019. ‘Passengers’. Verzasca Foto Festival. Sonogno, Switzerland.
2019. ‘Passengers’. Cine-K. Oldenburg, Germany
2019. ‘Passengers’ and ‘Banjul to Biella’. Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
2018. ‘Passengers’. Tonalestate Festival. Vermiglio (Trento), Italy.
2018. ‘Passengers’. Teatro Petruzzelli TEDXBari. Bari, Italy.
2018. ‘Passengers’. Bus Terminus. Guernsey Photography Festival. Guernsey.
2018. ‘Passengers’. Festival Vedetta sul Mediterraneo. Palazzo Fizzarotti. Giovinazzo, Italy.
2018. ‘Passengers’. Reclaim Photography Festival, Light House M. C.. West Midlands, UK.
2018. ‘Passengers’. OBERÜBER KARGER Kommunikationsagentur. Dresden, Germany.
2017. ‘Passengers’. PHEST Festa Internazionale della Fotografia. Monopoly, Italy.
2017. ‘Passengers’. Naval port of Bari, outdoor exhibition. Bari, Italy.
2017. ‘Passengers’. Cardiff International Festival of Photography. Cardiff, UK.
2017. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Comune di Vercelli. Vercelli, Italy.
2017. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Palazzo Ferrero. Biella, Italy.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022. ‘The Change We Want to See’. Outdoor. By Catchlight, Dysturb, Fondation Carmignac and Photo Saint Germain. Paris, France.
2022. ‘Passengers’. European Contemporary Photography Contest. ‘¿Y mañana?’. Goethe Institut Madrid. Spain.
2022. ‘Passengers’. Contemporary African Prize exhibition. Rieterpark, Museum Rietberg. Zurich, Switzerland.
2022. 25th Anniversary of the Luis Valtueña International Photography Award, by Doctors of the World. Cervantes Institute. Dakar, Senegal.
2022. 25th Anniversary of the Luis Valtueña International Photography Award, by Doctors of the World. Outdoor. Madrid, Spain.
2022. 25th Anniversary of the Luis Valtueña International Photography Award, by Doctors of the World. Outdoor. Navia, Spain.
2022. 25th Anniversary of the Luis Valtueña International Photography Award, by Doctors of the World. Outdoor. Avilés, Spain.
2021. ‘Passengers’. Contemporary African Prize exhibition. Art Basel. Basel, Switzerland.
2020. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Luis Valtueña Awards. Factoría Cultural de Avilés. Spain.
2020. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Luis Valtueña Awards. Biblioteca Jordi Rubió i Balaguer, Sant Boi de Llobregat.
2019. ‘Passengers’ at SET Gallery. Bird and Flight Awards. Kiev, Ukraine.
2019. ‘Passengers’ at Case Art Fund Gallery stand in Expo Chicago. Chicago, USA.
2019. ‘Passengers’. Selected Visa d’Or Arthus Bertrand. Visa Pour L´Image. France.
2019. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Luis Valtueña Awards. Edificio Pintores 10. Cáceres, Spain.
2019. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Luis Valtueña Awards. Archivo Histórico Provincial de Albacete. Spain.
2019. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Luis Valtueña Awards. Centro Joaquín Roncal. Zaragoza, Spain.
2019. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Luis Valtueña Awards. Caixa Forum. Madrid, Spain.
2019. ‘Passengers’ at Case Art Fund Gallery stand in AIPAD Photo Show. New York, USA.
2018. ‘Passengers’ at Addis Foto Fest. Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
2018. PHES – Fotografía Española Solidaria. Centro Universitario de Artes TAI. Madrid, Spain.
2018. Head On Photo exhibition at Pingyao International Photography Festival. China.
2018. ‘Passengers’ exhibited at Lens Culture Digital Gallery in Photo London Fair. UK.
2018. ‘Passengers’ at Photo IS:RAEL. Tel Aviv.
2018. Lens Culture Exposure Awards at Voies Off Arles. Arles, France.
2018. ‘Passengers’. Ffotogallery 4040 Celebrations. Cardiff, UK.
2018. Hellerau Portrait Awards. European Center for the Arts. Dresden, Germany.
2018. ‘Passengers’. ASISA Awards exhibition. Teatros del Canal. Madrid, Spain.
2018. ‘Kosovo: 51st State’. National Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo, BiH.
2017. Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize exhibition. National Portrait Gallery. London, UK.
2017. Head On Portrait Prize exhibition. Museum of Sydney. Australia.
2017. The Independent Photographer Annual Exhibition. Berlin, Germany.
2017. ‘Banjul to Biella’. Paraty em Foco. Paraty, Brazil.
2016. ‘Se Alquila Estado’. Centro Cultural Juan de Salazar. Asunción, Paraguay.
2016. ‘Balcanes, 20 años de Srebrenica’. Aleatorio Cultural. Madrid, Spain.
2015. ‘Balcanes, 20 años de Srebrenica’. C.C. Gabriel Celaya, Madrid, Spain.
2014. ‘Jungla Urbana’. Jungla Hábitat Cultural. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2014. ‘Se Alquila Estado’. Espacio Panal 361. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2023. Sony World Photography Awards. Landscape category. Shortlisted.
2022. Kolga Tbilisi Photo Contest.Georgia. Finalist.
2022. European Contemporary Photography Contest. ‘¿Y mañana?’. EFTI, Goethe Institut and Alliance Française. Spain. Finalist.
2020. INJUVE Award for Photojournalism 2020. Spain.
2020. Catchlight Fellowship recipient 2020.
2020. SONY World Photography Awards. Portrait category. First Prize
2020. Premio Luchetta of Journalism. Italy. Finalist.
2020. Tim Hetherington Trust. UK. Finalist.
2019. Visa d’or Franceinfo: Award for the Best Digital News Story. Visa Pour L´Image. Perpignan, France. Special Mention of the Jury.
2019. Visa d’or de la Presse Quotidienne. Visa Pour L´Image. France. Nominated.
2019. ‘Portrait of Humanity’ Award. British Journal of Photography. UK. Selected.
2019. Bird and Flight Awards. Ukraine. Finalist.
2019. Premio Luis Valtueña de Fotografía Humanitaria. Spain. First finalist.
2018. Joop Swart Masterclass, World Press Photo Academy. Nominated.
2018. Lens Culture Exposure Awards. First Prize.
2018. Pictures of the Year International (POY) Awards. Portrait Category. Third Prize.
2018. Prix ANI-PixPalace at Visa Pour L´Image. Perpignan, France. Selected.
2018. Hellerau Portrait Awards. Dresden, Germany. Second Prize.
2018. Photon Festival Grant. Valencia, Spain. Finalist.
2018. Signo Editores Awards. Madrid, Spain. Finalist.
2018. Balkan Photo Festival. Sarajevo, Bosnia I Herzegovina. Finalist.
2017. Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize. London, UK. First Prize.
2017. Head On Photo Festival Portrait Awards. Sydney, Australia. First Prize.
2017. Pictures of the Year Latin America - Nuestra Mirada (POY LATAM). First Prize.
2017. Joop Swart Masterclass, World Press Photo Academy. Nominated.
2017. Dart Center Rory Peck Trust Grant for Hostile Environment Training. Columbia Journalism School. New York, USA.
2017. Chromatic Photographer of the Year 2017.
2017. Moscow Photo Awards. Conflict category. Moscow, Russia. Third Prize.
2017. Finalist British Journal of Photography Breakthrough Awards 2017.
2017. Indian Photo Festival. Delhi, India. Selected.
2017. Prix ANI-PixPalace at Visa Pour L´Image. Perpignan, France. Selected.
2017. IPOTY - International Photographer of the Year Awards. Portrait. Second Prize.
2017. ASISA Photography contest. Spain. Finalist.
2017. The Independent Photographer Awards. UK. Finalist.
2017. Kaunas Photo Festival. Kaunas, Lithuania. Finalist.
2017. Roberto Villagraz Scholarship, EFTI Photography School. Madrid, Spain. Finalist.
2017. Monochrome Photography Awards. Photojournalism. Honourable Mention.
2016. Photo Contest “Día de la Discapacidad Leganes”. Madrid, Spain. Finalist.
2016. Descubrimientos Photo España, Festival Internacional PhotoEspaña. Selected.
2015. Prix ANI-PixPalace at Visa Pour L´Image. Perpignan, France. Selected.
BOOKS
2019. ‘Portrait of Humanity: 200 Photographs That Celebrate Global Unity’, edited by Magnum Photos and 1854 media. Published by Hoxton Mini Press.
2017. ‘Chiedo Permesso. Volti, voci, storie e silenzi dai Centri di Accoglienza del Biellese’, Eleonora Spina. Illustrated with the project ‘Banjul to Biella’. E20 Progetti Editore. Italy.
LECTURES AND TALKS
2023. ‘Passengers, the project’. I Congreso Nacional de Fotografía: Sobre Fotografía. Universidad de Alcalá. Alcalá de Henares, Spain
2023. Workshop "Evolution of the gaze: The power and danger of photojournalism”. SHELTER Art Space. Alexandria, Egypt.
2023. ‘Passengers Project: Transforming the visual narrative on migration’. Cairo Photo Week. Cairo, Egypt.
2022. Workshop "Evolution of the gaze: The power and danger of photojournalism”. Centro Cultural de España en Lima. Peru.
2022. Workshop "Evolution of the gaze: The power and danger of photojournalism”. Centro Cultural de España en Montevideo. Uruguay.
2021. ‘Passengers, the project’. Auckland Festival of Photography. Auckland, New Zeland.
2021. "Human Rights Violations in Libya: The importance of visual imagery to ignite action around human rights infringements", online webinar in collaboration with Tobeka Felicia and Human Rights Pulse Org. South Africa.
2021. ‘The power and danger of the image in the coverage of migrations’. Luther King San Miguel School. Tenerife. Spain.
2020. ‘Passengers, the project’. TALK TALK TALK, African Photography Conversations. African Photographic Society, Uganda.
2020. Participant in the webinar “Children Matter” presented by Case Art Foundation, in collaboration with UNHCR Norway.
2020. Participant in the Webinar Libera Le Foto, online series of talks on documentary photography, organized by Federico Borella, Stephanie Gengotti and Karl Mancini.
2019. ‘The power and danger of the image in the coverage of migrations’. Instituto Nacional para las Migraciones. Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
2019. ‘The power and danger of the image in the coverage of migrations’. Centro Cultural Perelló. Bani. Dominican Republic.
2019. ‘The power and danger of the image in the coverage of migrations’. Instituto Nacional para las Migraciones. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
2019. Miércoles de foto: Con-vivir migrantes y no migrantes. Caixa Forum, Madrid.
2018. ‘The power and danger of the image in the coverage of migrations’. I Congreso Internacional de Periodismo de Migraciones. Mérida, España.
2018. ‘Poniendo rostro a los números del Mediterráneo’. Docfield Festival. Palau Robert. Barcelona, España.
2018. ‘Passengers, the project’. Tonalestate Festival.
2018. ‘Passengers, the project’. Guernsey Photography Festival. Guernsey.
2018. Workshop (4h) at the Postgraduate of Photojournalism of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
2017. “Trato de la migración en los medios de comunicación” – CEU University. Madrid, Spain.
2017. “Reppresentazione mediatica della crisi migratoria” with Annalisa Camilli. PHEST Festa Internazionale della Fotografia. Monopoly, Italy.
2017. Workshop (4h) at the Postgraduate of Photojournalism of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
FILMS
2020. Passengers, by César Dezfuli, in collaboration with Mimi Chakarova, Still I Rise Productions and CASE Art Fund.
2021. The Island, by Anca Damian. Animation-documentary film. Contribution with photographic material for the creative and production process.
2018. Iuventa, Documentary by Michelle Cinque. Contribution with photographic material for the film.
2018. Banjul to Biella, by César Dezfuli, in collaboration with David Linuesa, Aqaba Media.
COLLECTIONS
2019. Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL. USA.
2017. ASISA Foundation.
Private collections in Spain, France, Netherlands, USA and UK.
Work represented by CASE Art Fund Gallery. Illinois, US.
PUBLICATIONS AND CLIENTS
Le Monde · Time Magazine · The Guardian · Al Jazeera · The New York Times · Associated Press · The Atlantic · De Groene Amsterdammer · BBC · Le Figaro · SIPA Press · Deutsche Welle · The World PIR · Gazeta Wyborcza · De Volkskrant · Junge Welt · Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazine · HBL Hufvudstadsbladet · Revista 5W · Roads and Kingdoms · Esquire · Dagbladet Information · Fluter Magazine · ARA · El País · El Mundo · TVE · La Sexta · Antena 3 · Cadena SER · La Vanguardia · El Periódico de Catalunya · 20Minutos