The Prix Lumière d’août 2026 has announced the winners of its inaugural edition, honoring two works that reflect on the memory of the 20th century. In the Literature category, the prize is awarded to Les Arbres de Nagasaki by Véronique Brindeau, published by Arléa editions. In the Photography category, the award goes to Sous terre by Antoine Lecharny and Annette Becker, published by D’une rive à l’autre editions. The jury praised these works for their exploration of the lasting marks of historical violence and how memory is passed down through generations. Les Arbres de Nagasaki focuses on the trees that survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The book examines the presence of these hibaku jumoku—trees that endured the blast—in the city today, looking at their scars and the historical and natural significance they hold. The work connects the physical remnants of the past with the ongoing legacy of that event. Sous terre revisits sites where mass shootings of Jews occurred in Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries during World War II. Antoine Lecharny’s photographs show landscapes that have since become ordinary, while historian Annette Becker’s texts provide historical context for these locations, drawing on a range of sources including photographs, oral histories, and archaeological findings. The project highlights how the land itself can bear witness to past atrocities. The jury for the Prix Lumière d’août 2026 included Vincent Hein, Sylvain Holtermann, Michael Ferrier, Sébastien Lapaque, Olivier Rogez, Christophe Vauthey, Amina Masseboeuf, and Hervé Garat Foucault. The award ceremony is set for Friday, October 9, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the residence of the Swiss Consul General in Marseille. The event will be by invitation only and will feature the winners and their publishers. Les Arbres de Nagasaki was published on March 5, 2026, and has 78 pages, priced at 13.00 €. Sous terre was released on November 7, 2025, with 224 pages and a price of 45.00 €. Both works are available through their respective publishers.