World-renowned Vietnamese-American photographer visits Cannes: Interview with Nick Ut

By DJ Cook

Nick Ut is a Vietnamese-American photographer and photojournalist. Ut worked for the Associated Press for 51 years. Throughout his robust career, he has won every major photography award, including the Pulitzer Prize. Ut is best known for his photograph The Terror of War (Napalm Girl), taken in 1972. Nick recounts the story of the photograph in an interview with Bruno Chatelin.

Chatelin asked Ut to talk about the story behind that famous photograph.

Ut explained that it happened about 5 miles west of Saigon in Trảng Bàng village. A group of civilians and South Vietnamese soldiers were fleeing the village toward the safety of South Vietnamese-held positions. However, a Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilot mistook the group for enemy soldiers and attacked. “It happened one morning before noon,” Ut said. “I shot a photograph of an airplane flying very low.” Then he saw children running, and this was the moment of the famous photograph.

(By Nick Ut, Associated Press - "1973 Photo Contest, World Press Photo of the Year". Originally published in 1972.) 

“The Napalm burned all her clothes; that’s why she was running out. Her body was burned all down her arm and 80% of her back,” Ut explained. “Then I saved her life. I took her to the hospital. That’s why she’s still alive today. Her name is Phan Thị Kim Phúc. She is 61 years old and currently lives in Toronto, Canada. She is married and has two children.

"Are you proud of this moment? I suppose you are. What are the memories attached, the emotions?"

“The picture changed the world.” He continued, “It taught the world that Vietnam happened.”

And we, good friends, travel together around the world.” Ut said, talking about the girl in the photograph. “Sometimes we go to Paris.”

"So you’re shooting in Cannes now, or you’re just enjoying the festival?"

“A friend of mine invited me to Cannes; I enjoy it so much. Very beautiful.” Ut said excitedly.

"You know, that’s one of the biggest events in terms of media attendance. There are 4,500 journalists around; that’s more than the Olympics. That’s more than the World Cup."

“I’d love to come back again!”