© Zied Ben Romdhane

The Escape

Zied Ben Romdhane

2025 — Tunis, Tunisia

About this series

On January 14th, 2011, Tunisia saw the end of a 23-year dictatorship as President Zinedine El-Abidine Ben Ali fled the country, forced out by a powerful popular uprising most commonly known as the Arab Spring. This transformative event echoed across the Arab world, igniting hopes of democracy, social justice, and freedom of expression.
It has been 12 years since this moment, yet Tunisia still stands on fragile foundation. The youth who lived through the revolution have become disenchanted, resulting in a concerning rise in mental health issues, depression, and anxiety. Despite the lack of trust in the government and its officials, a faint glimmer of hope from the revolution endures steadfastly.
In collaboration with Magnum Photos – Magnum Chronicles: Gen Z

Nour 20 years old. © Zied Ben Romdhane
© Zied Ben Romdhane
© Zied Ben Romdhane
© Zied Ben Romdhane
Tunisia. Bizert. 2022. A youth jump in the sea. © Zied Ben Romdhane
Tunis. Tunisia. Nihed 23 years old is facing post traumatic stress disorder. © Zied Ben Romdhane
Tunisia. Tunis. 2022. Nihed 23 years old is facing post traumatic stress disorder. © Zied Ben Romdhane
Tunisia. Tunis.Djebel Lahmar. 2023. Djebel Lahmar, which means 'Red Mountain' in Arabic, is a neighborhood located on the outskirts of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. This neighborhood is also known as the oldest and most populous shantytown in the capital. Due to its history and unplanned growth, Djebel Lahmar has emerged as a densely populated area, with precarious housing and limited infrastructure. The residents of this neighborhood often face socio-economic challenges such as lack of access to basic services, inadequate sanitation, and difficult living conditions. © Zied Ben Romdhane

Photographer: Zied Ben Romdhane
Nationality: Tunisian
Based in: Tunis, Tunisia
Website:  www.magnumphotos.com/zied-ben-romdhane
Instagram: @ziedbromdhane

Zied Ben Romdhane, born in 1981 in Tunisia, shifted his focus to documentary photography in 2011. He published his first book, West of Life, in 2018 with Red Hook Editions. Ben Romdhane’s work is centered around his native Tunisia. He delves into the socio-political contrasts between inland regions and coastal areas, shedding light on how geography shapes these dynamics.
He won the World Press Photo Prize in 2024, was selected for the 6X6 Global Talent Program in 2018 by the World Press Photo Foundation, participated in the Joop Swart Masterclass with World Press Photo, and received the POPCAP award (Africa Image, Basel, 2015). Zied also contributed as the Director of Photography for Fallega (2011), a documentary film documenting the Arab Spring in Tunisia. Furthermore, he actively participated in World Press Photo’s 2013 Reporting Change initiative and was a member of the collectives “Rawiya” and “Native.” Zied Ben Romdhane joined Magnum as a Nominee in 2019 and became a Member in 2025.