Fadi Al Halabi

“As a freelancer for Channel 4 News, Fadi Al Halabi has filed a succession of remarkable reports from the rebel-held enclave of Idlib. These films have illuminated the day-to-day life of those suffering under Assad’s constant onslaught. But far from being brutal tales of violence and destruction, Fadi has a knack for finding humanity in all the stories he tells.

Fadi works largely alone but is also a highly skilled producer, working with visiting crews when they are able to gain access to Idlib. He’s become a master of diplomacy and negotiation, navigating the complicated patchwork of relationships between militant groups and NGOs to allow himself and foreign journalists the access they need.

Fadi’s professionalism and dedication are unquestioned; his commitment to telling the stories around him undimmed by years of grinding war. He is a perfect example of the men and women who risk their lives to bring stories to the screen and the page.”

-Channel 4 News

Watch some of his reports:

• Syria: Kids in Idlib scavenge for food
• What happened to one Syrian family in aftermath of airstrike?
• Schools targeted in airstrikes in Syria’s besieged Idlib province

Biography

Fadi Al Halabi was born in Aleppo in 1994, growing up and going to school in the city. When the Syrian conflict began in 2011, he abandoned his dream of becoming a footballer and picked up a camera, starting to document the gradual destruction of the city and country he loves. Since he couldn’t attend University due to the war, he co-founded the Aleppo Media Center at the end of 2012 with several other Syrian journalists. He later worked as cinematographer on the Oscar-winning White Helmets and on the Oscar-nominated Last Men in Aleppo. Escaping from Aleppo in 2015, Fadi found himself drawn to Idlib, the last enclave controlled by rebel forces in Syria, where he is now based. He continues to work as a documentary filmmaker and photographer and has filed for Channel 4 News, CNN and BBC over the past few years.

Read Aimee Coelho’s profile on Fadi here.

“Fadi is a refugee himself and a storyteller with superior camera skills. His ability to personalise a story and let us see it through individuals is profoundly moving. His piece on the children at the rubbish dump in Idlib is one of the most powerful stories I’ve ever viewed and his passion to make a difference is apparent in his work – incredibly impressive.”

Martin Adler Prize Jury