Kolga

Biography

Simone Cerio is an Italian documentary photographer, specialized in photojournalism and multimedia languages. Over the years she has been working in several countries: USA, Russia, Greece, Albania, Spain, Afghanistan, France. In Russia, during the presidential elections, he realized the project Russia 2.0, about anti-Putin youth. In Vienna he exhibited N.D.R., a work about the struggle of the ‘ndrangheta - the Calabrian mafia -, realized with the support of the Museo della 'ndrangheta di Reggio Calabria. In 2014 - in collaboration with EMERGENCY ONG ONLUS -, completed an assignment in Afghanistan: When the others go away, exhibited throughout Italy. In 2010 he won the honorary mention at Atri's Photojournalism Festival and the second prize at the Festival of Savignano, which placed him in the 14 finalists of Portfolio Italia 2010. In 2014 she won the Perugia Social Photo Fest and, in the NGO category, she was selected at the Festival della Fotografia Etica in Lodi. In the same year he is semi-finalist of Leica Talent 2014. He collaborates with important national and international magazines. He teaches "Method and Photographic Languages" and "Visual Journalism" in a Photography School in Italy (Mood Photography). He is currently working on independent projects, continuing collaborations with international NGOs.

Simone Cerio's shortlisted projects

2018

Simone Cerio

RELIGO

“For you there is no place in Heaven. Remember.” I witnessed this curse by a priest to a devoted homosexual boy in a church near Rome, about four years ago. Ever since I have been working on a long term project focused on the LGBT believers communities. It’s a revolutionary project, since the mission of those communities is revolutionary. Religo is a project with the aim to show the vulnerabilities of LGBT believers, and, at the same time, their desire to be welcomed within the Church of Rome. A journey into a Church which has not been clear about this topic for ages. A journey through gatherings, meeting places, and most importantly, the main characters of this reality. Photography is the space between us. Following this belief, I tried to show the intimacy, deep love and honesty with I was welcomed by this community. Sorrow and courage were part of the space to be told.