The iconic photograph of Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the young Vietnamese girl fleeing from a napalm attack in 1972, has been at the center of a decades-long debate, one that is now reigniting through a controversial new documentary. As reported by The Times UK, the image, which won photographer Nick Ut a Pulitzer Prize, has come under scrutiny, with claims that the true photographer may have been Nguyen Thanh Nghe, a local freelancer, who was reportedly robbed of credit for his work.
The photograph, which captured the horrifying moment when Kim Phuc, just nine years old, ran down a road near Saigon covered in burns and naked, became a symbol of the atrocities of war. Taken after the South Vietnamese forces mistakenly dropped napalm on Trang Bang, the image helped galvanize international opposition to the Vietnam War. Ut, then a 21-year-old photographer for the Associated Press, was credited with the iconic shot and later used it to campaign for peace.
However, the new film The Stringer, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, has reignited the debate. The documentary suggests that Nghe, who was also present at the scene, may have been the true photographer. Nghe’s supporters, including filmmakers and some fellow photographers, argue that Ut’s recognition was unfairly gained at Nghe’s expense.
Nghe himself is featured in the documentary, stating, “I worked hard for [the photograph], but that guy [Ut] got to have it all. He got recognition. He got awards. He was celebrated in Vietnam.” The Associated Press, however, has strongly refuted these claims, publishing a detailed 23-page report defending Ut’s role as the photographer.
The controversy is far from simple, and a number of figures, including veteran photojournalists, have expressed outrage at the attempt to discredit Ut. Some, like Yunghi Kim, have vehemently criticized the claims, describing the attack on Ut as an unjust smear campaign. Ut’s supporters emphasize that the photo’s legacy has been about more than just recognition—it has served as a powerful reminder of the human cost of war.
Amidst the dispute, the girl at the center of the image, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, has remained steadfast in her support of Ut. “Ut was not just a photographer. He is my hero for putting down his camera and taking me to the hospital that day and saving my life,” she said in an interview with Vanity Fair, rejecting the claims of the documentary.
