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Sanja Knežević

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Sanja Knežević is a social-documentary photographer exploring stories of the fragility and resilience of human existence, often finding a quiet poetry within the harshest realities. Her work focuses on communities and spaces where human life intersects with intense social, geographic, or political pressures. Driven by pure human curiosity, her approach is to build genuine trust and approach people’s lives with profound respect. Whether spending extended periods on the ground or responding quickly to the immediate reality of a place, she captures the quiet dignity and inner strength of people under extreme circumstances.

2025 Belgrade, Award Plaque – Annual May Exhibition (ULUPUDS) – ”Student protests”
2023 Belgrade, Honorable mention – PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA, Everyday life category  – ”New Life” (Russians in Belgrade)
2023 Belgrade, II award – Beta Photo of the year, regional contest – Dead-End Street
2022 Belgrade, I award – PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA, Everyday life category ”Dead-End Street
2021 Belgrade, I award – PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA, portrait category ”Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta”
2021 Belgrade – Grand Prix – Beta Photo of the year, regional contest – ”Trapped” (U Klopci)
2020 Belgrade, Grand Prix – PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA, Photo of the year ”Trapped”  (U Klopci)
2020 Belgrade – Grand Prix – Beta Photo of the year, regional contest – ”Greatness” (Veličina)
2018 Belgrade – III award at the annual contest ReFoto ”Identity” for the photo ”Son”.
2017 Belgrade – III award ”New Perspectives”, Mixer Festival and Swiss Cooperation Office 
2016 Ljubljana, Slovenia – II award Different worlds,  for the project ”Family Matters”
2015 Press Photo Serbia, Winner in Environment reportage category ”Kawah Ijen”
2015 Shortlisted for ”Magnum 30 under 30”
2014 Press Photo Serbia, Winner in Everyday life reportage category ”Dust of Manila”
2014 Belgrade, Grand Prix for the portfolio, ReFoto Magazine ”100 Best”, on the occasion of its 100th issue of the magazine.
2013 Kiev, II award, Golden Camera International Award
2012 Washington D.C. First prize at FotoDC for portrait from ‘’Kamar’’ series.
2012 Belgrade, Grand Prix, Beta Photo of the year, regional contest – for the photo ‘’Mother and daughter’’
2011 Belgrade – Winner in Everyday Life category, Press Photo Srbija,  Project ”Family Matters”
2010 Belgrade – Grand Prix, PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA for the photography ‘’Couple” from the project Uprooted community
2009 New York, Honorable mention, En Foco 
2008 Belgrade – Winner, Serbia Press Photo, Environmental and  Everyday Life reportage category

2006, 2009 Cacak, III and II prize for collection, Republic Exhibition, Serbia 

2024 Belgrade, Serbia – ”Dead-End Street” Gallery in University library ”Svetozar Markovic”
2022 Belgrade, Serbia – ”The power of images the images of power” in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
2021 Kragujevac, Serbia – Fotorama festival with National Geographic female photographers – ”Anti-lockdown protests”
Slovenia, Maribor – ”Anti-lockdown protests”
2018 France, Saint Gilles – Festival Pil’Ours
2017 Novi Sad, Serbia – Kultural Center – Kamar
2015 Belgrade, Serbia – ArtGet gallery – Kamar
2013 Jakarta, Indonesia – Kamar
2013 Brazil, Belo Horizonte – Kamar
2013 Italy, Bari – Kamar
2012 Taiwan, Taipei – photo exhibition Witnessed of silence – National 228 Memorial Museum
2011 Belgrade and Bratislava – New Pictures of Belgrade
2010 France, Sarcelles, Photosoc Festiva
2009 Stockholm, Applied Nostalgia
2009 Belgrade, Applied Nostalgia
2009 Amsterdam, Balkan Snapshot Film Festival

Projects by Sanja on Photography Chronicle

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