Sanja Knezevic is a documentary photographer based in her home town Belgrade. In the focus of her work are marginalised groups, cultural phenomena, citizens striving for freedom and justice, as well as environmental challenges.
She graduated in photography at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade and attended VII Academy, World Press Photo and Noor-Nikon masterclass. From 2012, Sanja spent several years living in one of the most vibrant countries in the world - Indonesia. In 2018 she was chosen to be among 10 female documentary photographers at the Festival Pil'Ours in France.
Sanja Knezevic won awards at the biggest national photography contests, among them 5 times Grand Prix at Press Photo Srbija and Beta News Agency regional contest. At the ''Photo Week D.C'' in Washington D.C. she won the first prize for a portrait. Sanja's work has been published in the National Geographic Serbia, Vice UK, The Economist, Financial Times, Boston Globe, KfW Chancen - Hamburg, Global Post. She has also been collaborating with UNOPS, UNDP, Open Society Foundation and Amnesty International.
Sanja is a board member of the ULUPUDS – The Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Serbia.
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
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''
2021 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 Festival
2009 Stockholm, Applied Nostalgia
2009 Belgrade, Applied Nostalgia
2009 Amsterdam, Balkan Snapshot Film Festival
Formal education:
2008 BA (equivalent of MA) in Photography at the Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Belgrade.
Personal:
Sanja is mother of two sons.
Loves sport.
