A photograph taken by a young Vietnamese man, widely credited to an American journalist, has been at the center of controversy for decades. The image, known as Napalm Girl, shows a naked nine-year-old girl running away from a napalm attack in South Vietnam, while another child lies frozen in agony behind her.
The photo's origins were shrouded in mystery, and it was initially attributed to Huynh Cong "Nick" Út, a South Vietnamese journalist working for the Associated Press (AP). However, a new documentary on Netflix, The Stringer, challenges this narrative, suggesting that the iconic photograph may have been taken by another man.
The investigation into the photo's authorship is complex and nuanced. It involves a former AP photo editor who claims to have seen Horst Faas, the bureau's chief photographer, order him to change the image's credit from a freelance stringer named Nguyễn Thành Nghệ to Út. The documentary follows several journalists as they pursue their own investigation into the matter.
Despite various findings and investigations, the authorship of Napalm Girl remains disputed. The AP has stood by its original attribution of the photo to Nick Út, while World Press Photo has concluded that two people - Nghệ and another photographer - were more likely to have taken the picture.
Regardless of who took the photograph, the controversy surrounding Napalm Girl highlights issues of power dynamics in journalism, particularly when it comes to crediting freelancers and marginalized communities. Knight notes that Vietnamese journalists are often overlooked and undervalued, and that this documentary aims to shed light on their experiences.
Ultimately, The Stringer is not just about reattributing a photograph but also about examining the broader narratives of history and power structures in journalism.
The photo's origins were shrouded in mystery, and it was initially attributed to Huynh Cong "Nick" Út, a South Vietnamese journalist working for the Associated Press (AP). However, a new documentary on Netflix, The Stringer, challenges this narrative, suggesting that the iconic photograph may have been taken by another man.
The investigation into the photo's authorship is complex and nuanced. It involves a former AP photo editor who claims to have seen Horst Faas, the bureau's chief photographer, order him to change the image's credit from a freelance stringer named Nguyễn Thành Nghệ to Út. The documentary follows several journalists as they pursue their own investigation into the matter.
Despite various findings and investigations, the authorship of Napalm Girl remains disputed. The AP has stood by its original attribution of the photo to Nick Út, while World Press Photo has concluded that two people - Nghệ and another photographer - were more likely to have taken the picture.
Regardless of who took the photograph, the controversy surrounding Napalm Girl highlights issues of power dynamics in journalism, particularly when it comes to crediting freelancers and marginalized communities. Knight notes that Vietnamese journalists are often overlooked and undervalued, and that this documentary aims to shed light on their experiences.
Ultimately, The Stringer is not just about reattributing a photograph but also about examining the broader narratives of history and power structures in journalism.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I mean, I knew the original story was a bit sketchy, but I had no idea there was so much controversy surrounding who actually took the pic. Like, isn't that what investigative journalism is for? 
And don't even get me started on the power dynamics - it's just wild to think about how Vietnamese journalists are always overlooked and undervalued. This doco is exactly the kind of thing we need more of, you know? shedding light on these important issues 
. I think the real controversy is how often underpaid freelancers get overlooked in credits 
. We should be shining a light on their stories and experiences, not just debating photo authorship 
. And honestly, this documentary seems like a solid way to address those issues 
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I mean, can you even believe it's been decades since this photo was taken? It's crazy how something that should be so clear-cut has become such a mess. I think what really gets me is how we're still having to deal with the fact that these young kids were in harm's way because of war and politics.
The Stringer might be shedding some light on the past, but it also feels like it's bringing up old wounds. I hope that by now we've learned from these mistakes and can do better in terms of crediting and supporting our journalists, especially those from marginalized communities.
, another dark day for humanity... I mean, have you seen that picture of the 9-yr-old girl running from napalm? 
It's still hard to look at, even all these years later. The fact that we're still debating who took the photo is a bit of a giveaway about how messed up our industry can be - I mean, in terms of crediting freelancers and giving credit where credit is due 
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. I feel so bad for those two Vietnamese boys in the pic, innocent victims of war & now they're basically forgotten 
. It's time for us to start giving more credit (literally) to these unsung heroes of journalism 
. Let's focus on telling their stories rather than getting caught up in who took a 50-year-old photo 
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. And you're right, it's not just about reattributing a photo – it's about examining the power structures and narratives that shape our understanding of history. So yeah, I'm here for this documentary, but I'm also kinda sad that we need to have these conversations in the first place 
I think Knight is right on point about Vietnamese journalists being overlooked and undervalued - it's time for a change! 
And can we talk about how Vietnamese journalists are always getting overlooked? 
It's like, hello, diversify your sources! 
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? It's like, they're not just storytellers, they're also human beings with their own agency and experiences. We need more stories from the marginalized voices, you feel me? 