The Society for News Design honored ProPublica with two bronze medals in this year’s Best of Digital Design competition. ProPublica is also a finalist for World’s Best-Designed Digital Presence. 

Recognized in the use of multimedia and design elements category, “Before a Breath: America’s Stillbirth Crisis,” a documentary in collaboration with The WNET Group/THIRTEEN, is an intimate story of three mothers who lost children to stillbirth and are now striving to make pregnancy safer.  The film explores an experience shared by thousands of families in the U.S., where more than 20,000 stillbirths occur each year. At least a quarter of those losses are likely preventable.

Director Nadia Sussman  and director of photography Liz Moughon, a former video and film fellow with ProPublica, filmed with the three mothers for more than two years, weaving together a kaleidoscopic look at the issue of stillbirth, as well as their grief and healing after loss. People avoid discussing stillbirth. But when ProPublica’s Duaa Eldeib began reporting the articles that inspired the film, she discovered that many families often wanted very much to talk about their experience. The mothers in the film also reflect a broad range of stillbirth experiences and backgrounds, which is critical for a medical issue where racial disparities are stark. 

The judges said they were drawn in from the opening scene, praising the beautiful cinematography, raw emotion and unprecedented access that reflected deep trust with the subjects. They highlighted the powerful storytelling, including the use of the water metaphor, and described it as documentary storytelling at its finest. They also emphasized the care, sensitivity and respect throughout, noting it as one of the most memorable pieces they saw in the competition.

The film and its design by Zisiga Mukulu also won an Awards of Excellence in the Use of Multimedia and Design Elements: Use of Video category. 

“Free Range: The High Cost of Public Lands Ranching,” by Mark Olalde of ProPublica and Jimmy Tobias of High Country News, with photography by Roberto “Bear” Guerra of High Country News, was recognized in the line of coverage category. The project examined how the federal public lands grazing system has shifted to disproportionately benefit billionaires, mining companies and large corporate outfits. The reporters spent months on location across the West, from Colorado to Utah and Arizona, and even went up in the air to view locations they were not given access to. Early in the reporting process, Olalde, Tobias, Guerra and ProPublica’s visual, graphics and design teams decided that for readers to truly understand the scale and environments they were reporting on, they needed to bring the readers there visually. The package, with visual editing by Cengiz Yar, full-size maps by graphics editor Lucas Waldron, design by design director Allen Tan and illustrations by visuals editor Shoshana Gordon, is immersive and personal, reflecting both the people being affected by this abuse and the landscapes they impact.

The judges praised the cohesive, minimalist design, highlighting the elevated use of typography, illustration and photo-stitching. They appreciated the purposeful horizontal scroll and consistent branding, noting that the repetition felt intentional within a tight package. They also emphasized the restrained design choices, thoughtful tone and how the color palette complemented the photography.

ProPublica and partners received 37 additional Awards of Excellence. See all the winners.