David Palazón, born in Barcelona in 1972, is an accomplished designer and visual artist with an impressive record of professional achievements. He began his journey studying art and design in Barcelona, before furthering his education at the London College of Communication, the Royal College of Art, and the EICTV in Cuba. With a passion for exploration, he has traveled to over 50 countries across the globe, living and working in places such the UK, Ghana, Peru, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Bangladesh, Denmark and Pakistan. As a result, he has amassed a diverse and extensive portfolio of works spanning the fields of design, photography, documentary film production, visual anthropology, research, curation and management of arts and cultural projects.
A strong proponent of the power of culture and the arts, he believes these are fundamental drivers of progress and social transformation. He actively champions human rights and social justice through the arts, and leverages his skills to cultivate the talents of others through community-based and action research projects.
In addition to his artistic pursuits, he has provided consultancy services to cultural and non-profit organisations, including various UN agencies. In 2019, he was appointed Curator of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre by IOM—the UN Migration agency—in Bangladesh, tasked with developing and implementing the project from its inception. This experience led to long-lasting connections with many talented Rohingya photographers and artists, inspiring the creation of Rohingyatographer, an award-winning Rohingya refugee-led project in the largest refugee camp in the world, receiving the Casa Asia Award in 2024 in the category of Diversity, Inclusion and Sustainable Development.
During his 8 years living in Timor-Leste, he produced a diverse range of projects, including: Chega! (Enough), a comprehensive exhibition for the Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation (CAVR); Uma Lulik (The Sacred House), the first Timorese indigenous documentary. He also created various publications, events and exhibitions for organisations such as Timor Aid and the Secretary of State for Arts & Culture in Timor-Leste; some of his notable projects during this period include Tatoli ba Kultura (Return to Culture), a 4-year cultural mapping project with Griffith University, and National TimorGraphic, the first National Geographic publication and exhibition set in Timor-Leste.
David’s work has earned him international recognition and awards. His photobook Timor Runguranga, is part of the Martin Parr collection at the TATE in London. His documentary Wawata Topu - Mermaids of Timor-Leste was awarded in 2013 the 'Chandrika Sharma' Special Prize at the 7th International Film Festival Pêcheurs du Monde in Lorient, France. To produce the film Uma Lulik, he received a DOCTV CPLP grant in 2009; the film received the audience award at the Brisbane International Film Festival in 2011. He received in 2007 a CLIP CETL grant to produce Artepreneurs, a documentary showcasing his work with students at the University of the Arts London. In 2004, he was recipient of an UnLtd* award for social entrepreneurs to develop El Documento, a film exploring the creative life of Spanish immigrants in London. In 2003 he received a Millenium Award from the Peabody Trust to produce Eye See, a compelling photo-voice projects across schools in North London showcased at the Royal College of Art.
EXHIBITIONS
2024
2023
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FELIFA 2023, Haroldo Conti Cultural Memory Centre, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Life through Rohingya Eyes (curator), Liberation War Museum, Dhaka
2022
2021
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No Place Like Home (curator). Canadian High Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2018
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Unveil’d Photobook #1, Borough Road Gallery, London
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Photobooks of the World, Istanbul Photobook Festival
2017
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Rio Helmi Gallery, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival
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Athens Photo Festival, Benaki Museum (documenta 14)
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Talking Culture, Auckland Festival of Photography, New Zealand
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The Library Project, Photo Ireland
2016
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Sri Lanka Design Festival
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Encontros da Imagem, Braga, Portugal
2014
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David Palazón ou la Timorgraphie. Festival de Cinéma de Douarnenez, France
2008
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Where is the Love? Feldman Gallery, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, USA
2007
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Rich & Strange, Flock Gallery, University of Wales, Newport
2006
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Wormhole Saloon V. Whitechapel Gallery
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The Least Event. Flat-Time House, Camberwell, London
2005
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Take 291, 291 Gallery, London
2004
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Use Your Head, House Gallery, London
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Eye See. Royal College of Art. Kingly Court Gallery in Carnaby Street, London. FAITH Centre in Haringey, North London
FILM FESTIVALS & PUBLIC SCREENINGS
2023
2021
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7th Lusophone Film Festival, Dili, Timor-Leste
2020
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Les Aventuriers de la Mer, Lorient, France
2019
2017
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Ouarzazate International Film Festival
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Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival, Ottawa
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Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival International
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Cinema Lorossa’e
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Azores Fringe Festival
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Backup Festival, Bauhaus University, Weimar
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9th CMS International Children’s Film Festival, Lucknow
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12th Athens Animafest
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Māoriland International Indigenous Film Festival
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Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, France
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3rd CINI International Children Film Festival, Lima
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Salon Nautique, Paris
2016
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44th Dance on Camera Festival, Film Society, Lincoln Center
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National Museum of Ethnography, Portugal
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Film Festival of Oceanographic Adventure, Océanopolis, Brest
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Santa Marta Lighthouse Museum, Cascais, Portugal
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14th International Short and Independent Film Festival, Dhaka
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Kinodiseea International Children Film Festival, Bucharest
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3rd International Children Film Festival of Odisha
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4th Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival
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8th Festival International de Films Pêcheurs du Monde, Lorient, France
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FACA, Açores
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FIFO, Tahiti
2015
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9th Mostra Internacional de Videodança, São Carlos, São Paulo
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Rubin Museum of Art, New York
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Festival Film Dokumenter Yogjakarta
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Netpac Asian Film Festival, Yogjakarta
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St Kilda Film Festival, Port Phillip, Australia
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INSTIDOC, Maputo
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Culture Unplugged
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American Online Film Awards
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12th Festival International du Film Documentaire Oceanien, Tahiti
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7th Festival International de Films Pêcheurs du Monde, Lorient, France
2014
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Festival de Cinéma de Douarnenez
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5th Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries, Lucknow
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Intimate Lens, Festival of Visual Ethnography, Caserta, Italy
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American Online Film Awards
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International Ethnographic Film Festival of Quebec
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Nordic Anthropological Film Association Film Festival, Iceland
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Fundação Oriente, Dili
2013
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Maha Art Gallery, Bali
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Kopi kultur, Bali
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APERTURE South Pacific Ethnographic Film Festival, Melbourne
2012
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Community Channel, UK
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Kino 18, Jagiellonian University, Krakow
2011
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RTP International
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RTP Africa
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Brisbane International Film Festival
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Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
2010
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European Film Festival, Timor-Leste
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TPA, Angola
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TVM, Mozambique
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TCV, Cabo Verde
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TDM, Macau
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RTVGB, Guinea-Bissau
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TV Cultura, Brazil
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RTP1, Portugal
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TVTL, Timor-Leste
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Brasilidade Festival, Rio de Janeiro
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Luanda International Film Festiva, Angola
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Cinemateca de Lisboa
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Hotel Timor
2009
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Clube Literário do Porto, Portugal
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European Film Festival, Casa Europa, Dili, Timor-Leste
2008
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Cinema Nuovo Eden, Breccia, Italy
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4th International Conference for Learning and Teaching in Art and Design, Lycée Francais, New York
2007
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Cinematheque de Tangiers, Morocco
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Aichi World Expo 05, Japan
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Create to Learn, SS Robin, London
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South London Institute of Common Sense
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FlatTime House, London
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Camberwell College of Arts, London
2006
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Università Unitre Milano, Italy
2005
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London College of Communication
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Prince Charles Cinema, London
PRESS & REVIEWS
2023
2022
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Rohingya boy learns language of photography. Kristy Siegfried and Amos Halder in UNHCR
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‘We Are Rohingya’ photo exhibition puts cameras in the hands of Bangladesh camp refugees. Mizzima Myanmar
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Rohingyatographer: The photography magazine from the world’s largest refugee camp. Silvia Tadiello in Migrant Voice
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Rohingya refugees using photography to tell their own stories. Mary Griffin in Lacuna Magazine
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Snaps of life in the world’s biggest refugee camp. Laurie Siegel in Visual Rebellion
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Rohinyas inmortalizados por ellos mismos para conmemorar el Día del Refugiado. La Vanguardia / EFE
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Liberation War Museum launches ‘We are Rohingya’ photo exhibition. Dhaka Courier
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Refugee Day photo exhibition in Bangladesh depicts Rohingyas’ plight. EFE
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Learn about the Wawata Topu - Mermaids of Timor-Leste. Solimar International
2018
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El Camino de Abraham, recorrer Palestina siguiendo los pasos del patriarca. Joan Mas Autonell in La Vanguardia
2017
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Fotógrafo catalán presenta ‘Timor Runguranga’ en Festival Escritores de Ubud. Ricardo Pérez-Solero in El Periodico
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A Photographic Journey through Timor-Leste. Publishers Weekly
2016
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Bonecas de Ataúro foram estrelas em espetáculo na capital timorense. RTP
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Las Mujeres en Timor Oriental: Tejiendo Resistencias. Inês Nunez in Público
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Best Documentaries Exploring the Asia Pacific Region. The Culture Trip
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South East Asia in Photos. UH CSEAS University of Hawaii
2015
2014
2013
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Yemaya recomends Wawata Topu. Nilanjana Biswas in Yemaya Magazine, issue 44
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Há muitos filmes para fazer em Timor. Hélder Beja in Ponto Final, Macau
2011
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Timor-Leste’s first indigenous filmmaker. Cynthia Webb in the Jakarta Post
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Timor-Leste: Academia de Indústrias Criativas deverá arrancar no final do ano. Correio do Minho
2009
2008
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Shooting People
2007
2006
2005
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Design Week, issue 35
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Creative Review, October issue
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In the Chair: Arty Politics. 21 October. South London Press
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Funds Europe, July issue, pp. 70
2004
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Londres, en busca de un futuro mejor. Manuel Angel Mendez in La Nueva España
2003
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Graphics International, issue 106
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Creative Review, May issue
TALKS & PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
2022
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Live from the world’s largest refugee camp. Head On Photo Festival, Sydney
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Diálogo: Somos Rohingya, la mirada de los fotógrafos Rohingya. Casa Asia, Barcelona
2021
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Rohingya Cultural Memory. Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR)
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Community-building: Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre. Lusophone University of Porto
2018
2017
2016
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Design is Everywhere. Design Kafta, Sri Lanka Design Festival
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Do you study or do you design? Academy of Design, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2012
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Ethnographic Filmmaking. Cultural Diversity and Traditional Knowledge, UNESCO Seminar, Dili, Timor-Leste
2011
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Where is Graphic Design? London College of Communication
2008
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Artepreneurs. National Arts Learning Conference, RIBA, London
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Community Authorship. Creative Teaching & Learning, London College of Fashion
2007
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Incidental Documentation. Demos Think Tank, London. Lia Perjovschi’s Chronology, Gallery Yujiro, London
2004
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Widening Participation, London College of Communication
2002
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Graphic Design for Social Causes. ICOGRADA Conference, ADG-FAD, Barcelona
AWARDS & GRANTS
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Winner. 2017 Gold (Book/Monograph), PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris (Timor Runguranga)
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Winner. 2016 Best Asian Short Film, 4th Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival. (Boneca de Ataúro)
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Recipient. 2015 Chandrika Sharma Special Prize, 7th International Film Festival Pêcheurs du Monde in Lorient, France (Wawata Topu)
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Winner. 2015 American Online Film Awards (Wawata Topu)
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Recipient 2011 3rd Audience Award, Brisbane International Film (Uma Lulik)
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Recipient. 2009 DOCTV CPLP (Uma Lulik)
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Recipient. 2006 CLIP CETL Rewards Scheme. University of the Arts London (Artepreneurs)
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Recipient. 2004 UnLtd* Award for Social Entrepreneurs, London (El Documento)
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Recipient. 2004 National Campaign for the Arts (Eye See)
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Recipient. 2003 Millennium Award, UK (Eye See)
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Recipient. 2001 Commendation Award. International Society of Typographic Designers, UK (Colourful Language)
COLLECTIONS
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Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon
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Foto Colectania, Barcelona
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Fundação Oriente, Timor-Leste
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Xanana Reading Room, Timor-Leste