“Fishing Among Icebergs” Wins Mojo Award for Spotlighting Greenland’s Arctic Fishers

Spanish Journalist Leonor Suárez Honoured for Gripping Mobile Report on Life and Climate Struggles in Remote Greenland.

In a remote corner of the Arctic, where daily life unfolds against a backdrop of frozen seas and drifting icebergs, two artisanal fishers have become the subjects of an award-winning documentary that is capturing global attention. Fishing Among Icebergs, a mobile journalism piece produced by Spanish journalist Leonor Suárez, has won the prestigious Rural Voices Mobile Journalism Award, sponsored by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The compelling report follows the lives of two traditional fishers from Uummannaq, a small island community of just 1,400 people, located 700 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in Greenland. The story stands out not only for its breathtaking visuals and emotional depth, but also for how it presents the harsh and shifting realities of life in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

Life at the Edge of a Melting World

Shot entirely on mobile equipment, Suárez’s film offers an unfiltered and intimate look at the lives of Greenlanders whose way of life is increasingly threatened by the accelerating impacts of climate change. With warming Arctic temperatures, thinning sea ice, and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, traditional fishing—once reliable and seasonal—has become fraught with uncertainty.

“I wanted to understand how people live along a coastline where the sea freezes in winter and thousands of icebergs drift by in summer,” Suárez said at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, where she accepted the award. “So, I went down to the harbour and asked the owners of a tiny boat if I could join them for the day. The most compelling—and often the most important—stories begin when we follow our curiosity.”

The result of that day was more than a documentary. It was a rare and powerful testimony of resilience in a territory that has become emblematic of the new climate reality—a region now drawing global interest not only for its environmental significance but also for its geopolitical value.

Beyond the Ice: A Territory Under Pressure

Greenland has increasingly found itself at the centre of international debate, with nations vying for influence over its resources and strategic location. As the Arctic becomes more accessible for oil and gas extraction, maritime control, shipping, and tourism, the small communities who have lived there for generations face mounting pressures. Indigenous populations and rural coastal residents are on the front lines of a rapidly changing landscape, struggling to preserve their traditions and identity.

Suárez’s piece captures that delicate balance—between tradition and change, survival and sustainability. Her lens, sensitive and unobtrusive, allows viewers a rare glimpse into a world where nature is both a provider and an ever-changing force of reckoning.

A Double Honour: Suárez’s Work on Rural Argentina Also Recognized

In addition to winning the overall Rural Voices Award, Suárez also took home the Mobile Journalism category prize for another gripping short film titled Evicted from Heaven. This work explores the housing crisis in rural Argentina, spotlighting the structural inequalities faced by communities far from urban centres.

Through these two distinct yet thematically linked stories, Suárez illustrates the importance of telling rural narratives that often go unseen. Both films were produced for Radiotelevisión del Principado de Asturias (RTPA) in Spain.

Mobile Journalism: Giving Voice to the Unseen

The Rural Voices Mobile Journalism Award aims to uplift the stories of rural populations by using accessible and lightweight tools—often just a mobile phone. Backed by IFAD, the award underscores the role of digital storytelling in creating inclusive and people-centred communication, especially in hard-to-reach regions.

“Mobile journalism breaks down barriers,” said Michelle Porter, IFAD’s Senior Video Producer. “It removes the need for expensive and often impractical professional equipment, particularly in remote settings. We are proud to support initiatives that amplify the voices of people living in the world’s most isolated corners—exactly where IFAD works to make a difference.”

The #MojoAwards serve as a platform for storytelling innovation, providing recognition and support to both seasoned journalists and emerging voices alike. With its emphasis on real-life human experiences and social impact, the award series helps create a global mosaic of rural realities—one mobile story at a time.

A Call to Protect the Arctic and Its People

As the Arctic continues to heat up at four times the global average, Fishing Among Icebergs is a stark reminder that climate change is not just about melting ice caps or rising sea levels—it is about people. Families. Livelihoods. Cultures that have existed for generations, now hanging in the balance.

“In Uummannaq, there is a small human population coexisting with a stunning natural environment,” Suárez reflected. “It’s a place we must protect—not just for them, but for all of us.”

Through her courageous reporting and minimalist approach, Suárez has given rural Arctic voices the global platform they deserve. And with each iceberg that drifts past their fragile shores, her message echoes louder: we must listen to those who live closest to the crisis.