/ 2025 / Portraiture / Children

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Mitsuaki Fujiwara, Japan

From the temples of Thailand to the traditional homes of Bhutan, the maze-like streets of Zanzibar and the plazas of Peru, I encountered a quiet bond between children and cats—unspoken, instinctive, and pure. Despite vast cultural differences, their gentle coexistence felt the same: a rare harmony between two beings. I gathered these moments with intent, drawn by the tenderness only children seem to carry. These scenes reflect a shared innocence that defies borders.

Each time, I felt joy—and a quiet ache. A longing for something lost. So I chose to preserve what I could no longer return to.

Mitsuaki Fujiwara is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Japan.
He focuses on illuminating subtle, often-overlooked moments in everyday life, weaving quiet narratives from the ordinary.
His work explores universal emotions and connections that transcend nation, religion, and culture—such as the quiet tenderness between children and animals—
seeking out the unspoken truths that live within fleeting, shared moments.