Michele Cattani
Michele Cattani is an Italian documentary photographer born in 1991. He holds a Master’s degree in Cinema and Media Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin and the Monterrey Institute of Technology. Based in Mauritania since 2017, he covers West African news for AFP and other international outlets. His work focuses on social, cultural, and climate-related issues.
Between 2023 and 2024, Michele Cattani, in collaboration with journalist Amaury Hauchard, conducted a long-term investigation into gold mining in the Sahara. Their journey spanned from Mauritania to northern Niger, following the discovery of new gold deposits and documenting their far-reaching impact on local communities, economies, and landscapes. This work was awarded the Visa d’Or for Digital News Reporting at the Visa pour l’Image festival in France.
In 2024–2025, alongside Amaury Hauchard and filmmaker Anne-Fleur Lespiaut, Cattani followed the migration routes of young West Africans drawn toward the Western dream — a movement shaped by both reality and illusion, hope and disillusionment. The team explored the growing influence of social networks such as TikTok in shaping imaginaries, aspirations, and decisions. Through their images and reporting, they reveal how digital platforms play a central role in the construction of modern migration narratives.
