Heartbreakers

• Prize
  Bronze in Editorial/Conflict
• Photographer
  Pablo Vergara
• Technical Info
  Sony A7IIIR
• Photo Date
  2024

"Heartbreakers" is a multimedia project highlighting the socio-environmental impacts of Brazil's largest private port, Port of Açu. It facilitates offshore oil and LNG operations, receiving 26 million tons of iron ore annually from a 328km mining pipeline. Its construction and expansion displace communities, fragmenting families and impacting regional flora and fauna. Over 7,036 hectares were expropriated, affecting nearly 400 families. The project combines documentary photography with Optical Gas Imaging, initiated in 2017.

Pablo Vergara (Chile, 1986) is a documentary photographer, visual artist, filmmaker, and architect based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His work explores territory, human rights, migration, memory, and socio-environmental conflicts across Latin America, focusing on Indigenous, rural, and traditional communities. He studied at the University of Chile and UNAM and trained through the VII Academy. His work has received international recognition, including the 2026 IPFA Award, the 2025 FINI, and an Alexia Award of Excellence.