‘Inshallah’ by Nicolas Brunetti

"The project explores the personal and collective stories of young Muslims born and raised in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on Moroccan soil. Ceuta is a border city marked by stark contrasts and holds the highest unemployment rate in Europe, around 30%. The series, developed between July 2023 and April 2025, is dedicated to the theme of suspension, a state of limbo, both physical and mental, that permeates the lives of the young people portrayed.

Yusef Ahmed Hossain (10) plays with a paper aeroplane at sunset near Benzù beach. Enveloped in golden light, his gesture evokes hope and a better future for the children of Ceuta. His gaze, turned towards the horizon over the sea, knows no barriers or boundaries.

Portrayed from one of the hills near Benzù, the Valla - the high fence separating Ceuta from Morocco - stands out in front of the “Mujer Muerta” mountain range. On the left side of the frame Ceuta stretches out, suspended between border and horizon.

Inshallah, an Arabic word meaning " if God wills it" expresses a believer’s hope for a future event. This word captures the spirit of the project, which reflects the expectations, desires, and dreams of several Muslim youths living in the Príncipe Alfonso neighbourhood of Ceuta.

Passport of Hadil Ahmed Hossain (22). The worn and almost illegible country inscription conveys the marginalised condition of the inhabitants of the barrio Príncipe Alfonso: they are Spanish but of Muslim culture, European but on Moroccan soil. Their identity and their sense of belonging to a specific nation fade, like the writing on their passports.

Despite its Spanish-sounding name, El Príncipe is a predominantly Arab neighbourhood, geographically isolated on the hillside bordering Morocco, far from the city s port, commercial areas, and tourist zones. The barrio has a complex and troubled history, often associated over the past two decades with violent drug trafficking and episodes of radicalisation, including jihadism. Today, youth distress and crime reflect a deep social fracture, one that can only be healed by addressing the root causes of social exclusion, school dropout, and chronic unemployment.

Mohamed Hassan Mustafa (23 years old) His gaze is still focused and alert. Mohamed is portrayed just moments after finishing a football match with his friends. He is a determined and self-aware young man: he feels Spanish, not Moroccan, and dreams of becoming a successful singer. There is no hesitation in him: he will stay and live in Ceuta, the city where he was born.

This project aims to shed light on the uncertainty and precariousness faced by the neighbourhood’s youth, yet from a perspective that sees them as protagonists: fully aware of their condition and capable of shaping their own futures, creating space for free thought and action. These are intimate, personal stories that reflect the perspective of a wider community: Moroccan youths with Spanish passports, European citizens living on the African continent, Muslims navigating their identity in relation to other cultures and religions.

Mariam Mohamed Mohamed (20) sits outside a university lecture hall. Behind her, an austere array of portraits of professors - all men - emphasises the contrast between male authority and her solitary presence as she waits her turn for the exam. Mariam lives on the most dangerous street in the barrio Príncipe Alfonso, frequent scene of shootings, but dreams of contributing to the future of her city. She wants to become an English teacher and build a family.

Bedroom of Hadil Ahmed Hossain (22). The boy is not portrayed, but his presence is felt through certain symbols: memories of the past, a football, some trophies won and a portrait of him. He dreams of becoming a football coach, but knows he will have to leave Ceuta to pursue it. Green is his favourite colour.

Bedroom of Mariam Mohamed Mohamed (20). The inhabitants of the barrio Príncipe Alfonso are often perceived, in Ceuta and the rest of Spain, as marginalised people: poor, dangerous, willing to do anything to survive. From childhood, they live with a deep sense of social exclusion. Possessing the same material goods as their peers - such as the Barbie and Ken in the photo, ideal toys for every little girl - becomes a way of narrowing the gap and mitigating diversity.

The state of suspension experienced by these young people stretches between two poles: the internal perspective of the barrio, where everyone knows, watches, and controls each other, and an external gaze driven by the desire to escape; between daily responsibilities and leisure; the risk of falling into criminal networks and the longing for redemption; between social decay and the aspiration to study, build a career, and improve their environment.

Aissa Rouk El Masoudi (22) was born in Morocco, but grew up in Ceuta in the barrio Príncipe Alfonso. At sunset, she decides to go for a swim to relax and take a moment to think about her future. Aissa studies Computer Engineering at the University of Granada, Ceuta, and her dream is to design an application to improve people s lives.

Another key subject in this photographic project is the landscape of Ceuta itself. Its natural and man-made landmarks, as well as its historical monuments, contribute to reinforcing the sense of belonging among the city’s residents. Some photographs reveal the open sea, an expansive, liberating boundary. In others, the central figure is the “Valla”, the artificial barrier that runs from the hills down to the coast, marking the border between Spain and Morocco and aiming to prevent the illegal crossing of migrants.

Rauia Harrous Chairi Kachaf (22) and Yasmina Fadal Sebti (18) wait for the sunset near Benzù, intent on wondering about their future. Yasmina s (right) dream is to be an actress. Rauia (left), on the other hand, appears resigned to job opportunities in Ceuta. The sense of abandonment that characterises the young people of the Principe Alfonso barrio emerges.

A blind arch along a street in the barrio Príncipe Alfonso becomes a metaphor for the condition of the neighbourhood s youth: access routes to their aspirations barred and opportunities denied. In spite of everything, the new generations tenaciously continue to search for possibilities to cross the threshold and look beyond.

Firas Ahmed Rifi (19) relaxes in the yard below his house after boxing training. He does not yet have a clear goal for the future, but dreams of a quiet and peaceful life. He would like to stay in Ceuta, although, in the absence of opportunities, he would be ready to try his luck elsewhere. He cares a lot about the reputation of his barrio and hopes that prejudices about the Príncipe will be overcome and that its inhabitants will be considered equal to all other fellow citizens.

Among the city’s monuments, the imposing statue of Hercules stands out, depicted from an uncanny angle as he holds up the two pillars so celebrated in mythology. It serves as a reminder that Ceuta has been a crucial point of reference since antiquity: a perennial borderland where peoples and cultures meet and intermingle.

The two pieces of bread floating in the sea are at the mercy of the current and the seagulls circling above them, ready to grab them at any moment. The photograph conveys two opposing sensations: on the one hand, lightness and the suggestive play of light on the water, with the seagulls in free flight; on the other, tension and anguish for what will happen a moment later. The future of the young people in the barrio is uncertain.

Inshallah is ultimately a message of hope, one that seeks to reduce social and cultural discrimination and prejudice, and to invite young people, both Arab and Spanish, to recognise themselves within a shared geography and sense of place."

Aissa Rouk El Masoudi (22 years old), portrayed inside his home after the afternoon prayer, captured in the moment as he looks out the window. The semi-transparent curtain, moved by the wind, is a metaphor for a flexible, permeable border. Aissa is convinced that Ceuta has great potential, but few real opportunities for young people to grow. For this reason, he dreams of leaving, studying abroad, and enriching himself with personal and professional experiences. Still, nothing rules out the possibility that he might return one day.

In the foreground, the Fence: the tall barrier marking the border between Ceuta and Morocco, built to prevent irregular migrant crossings, with support from the European Union. The fence stretches all the way to the sea. In the background, a mountain with a feminine profile: it is the Mujer Muerta (Dead Woman), already within Moroccan territory. On stormy days, when Moroccan patrols do not guard the maritime border, migrants attempt to swim across, trying to reach Ceuta the “Gateway to Europe” in search of assistance and protection.

Rauia Harrous Chairi Kachaf (22) is portrayed in a play of light and shadow that recalls the kaleidoscopic course of life. The young woman s penetrating gaze reflects her determination to pursue a dream: to become a mother, build a family and stay and live in Ceuta. She is confident that she will find opportunity and stability in this city, but if not, she is ready to look elsewhere for the future she desires.

Nicolas Brunetti (Italy, 1990) is a documentary photographer focused on long-term projects with a social and environmental perspective. His work tells the stories of small communities living in conditions of marginalization and social exclusion, revealing their intimate points of view while expressing broader collective needs.

Since 2019, he has attended various masterclasses with internationally renowned photographers such as Fulvio Bugani and Federico Borella. In 2023, he took part in the InsideOver photojournalism masterclass in Milan, led by Antonio Faccilongo. That same year he began the Inshallah project, which won the InsideOver masterclass in February 2024. This led him to assist Faccilongo in his next photojournalistic work.

Brunetti was a finalist of the Prix Révélation 2025 in Festival Off Arles and was selected for Photograph-ER 2025 (Fotografia Europea) and won open calls including Angkor Photo Festival (Cambodia, January 2025) and Fondazione Imago Mundi’s “Present Is the New Future” (December 2024). He received an honorable mention at Trieste Photo Days 2024, was shortlisted in Econtros da Imagem Emergentes 2024 (Portugal) and was a finalist at the National Geographic Italia 2018 photo contest. His work has been published in InsideOver and Perimetro.