Coming of age: A photo from the collection Maturity Ceremony of Dao Tien Group taken by Trinh Thong Thien

HA NOI (VNS) — The first place award at the ASEAN Festival of Photos, Reportage and Documentary Film 2015 went to Vietnamese photographer and journalist, Trinh Thong Thien, on Tuesday.

His awarded photo collection, Le Cap Sac Cua Nguoi Dao Tien (Maturity Ceremony of Dao Tien Group), depict a Dao ethnic minority's "maturity ceremony" in Lai Chau Province. The maturity ritual marks a teenage boy's passing into manhood.

The collection also won first prize at the Viet Nam – Country – People photo contest this October.

Speaking of the ASEAN photo festival, Thien said it "created an interesting opportunity for me and other photographers from other ASEAN countries to share our photography experiences and understand other cultures".

The purpose of the festival is to reflect real life and achievements of different peoples in culture, economy, society and religion in each country of the ASEAN community.

In just five months since its launch, the festival board received 1,489 photos and photo collections, and 113 reports and documentary films from across ASEAN.

The first prize for reportage and documentary film went to director Shune Lei Thar for his film, What are Human Rights?, from Myanmar.

The organisation board awarded four second prizes, six third prizes and nine consolation prizes. — VNS