Sundance doc The Stringer challenges who took Napalm Girl photograph
After fifty years of silence, a freelance photographer from Vietnam has come forward claiming to be the true author of one of the most iconic and powerful images of the 20th century. Nguyen Thanh Nghe asserts that he, not the long-credited photographer Nick Ut, captured the Pulitzer Prize-winning Napalm Girl photograph during a napalm attack in South Vietnam.
Nghe made this claim in the new documentary “The Stringer,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. He revealed that on June 8, 1972, he was working as a driver for an NBC news crew in the town of Trang Bang when he witnessed the harrowing scene of a naked girl, later identified as Kim Phuc Phan Thi, running down the street after a napalm attack. Nghe said he sold the photo to the Associated Press for $20, and they provided him with a print that his wife later destroyed.
Despite Nghe’s assertions, the Associated Press conducted its own investigation and maintains that Nick Ut is the true photographer of the Napalm Girl image. The news agency expressed surprise and disappointment at the filmmakers’ portrayal of their response to the claims, stating that they had not seen the film until its premiere at Sundance.
The AP is calling on the filmmakers to release their contributors from non-disclosure agreements and share the visual analysis they commissioned. They reiterated their commitment to the truth and stated that they are open to reviewing any new evidence related to the photograph.
The film’s investigation, led by Gary Knight and Fiona Turner, included interviews with witnesses such as Carl Robinson, a former AP photo editor in Saigon. Robinson, who was overruled in his judgment not to use the photo, expressed remorse for his role in the decision and sought to apologize to Nghe.
Despite the conflicting claims, renowned correspondents, including Fox Butterfield and Peter Arnett, as well as the photo’s subject Kim Phuc, maintain that Nick Ut was the photographer of the iconic image. The filmmakers enlisted a French forensics team to determine the likelihood of Ut’s involvement, with the team concluding that it was highly unlikely he could have taken the photo.
As the debate over the Napalm Girl photograph continues, Nick Ut’s attorney, James Hornstein, has vowed to vindicate his client’s reputation in court. The filmmakers stand by their investigation and encourage transparency and self-reflection within the journalism profession.
“The Stringer” has yet to announce distribution plans, but the film’s exploration of this controversial and deeply impactful image promises to spark further discussion and reflection on the nature of truth and authenticity in photojournalism.
