Sebastian Steveniers has produced a remarkable piece of research, one rarely seen today, and it deserves to be highlighted.

This photobook is available at this link (HERE) and is highly recommended for Woofermagazine readers who are particularly interested in real stories that make us reflect on the society we live in.

“In 2016, I gained access to an underground scene of illegal “free fights” between rival football hooligan groups. These fights take place deep in forests, far from public view. The rules are minimal: two groups fight for the colours of their club until one side can no longer continue. The confrontations are short, intense, and extremely violent — yet once the fight ends, the aggression dissolves. Hands are shaken, beers are shared, and everyone returns to everyday life.

Gaining trust within this hermetically sealed community took months. Once accepted, I was allowed to photograph from within the group. My work focuses not only on the clashes themselves, but also on the moments before and after: anticipation, brotherhood, vulnerability, and the strange calm following the chaos.

In April 2018, I was arrested during the project. Authorities accused me of participating rather than documenting. I spent three weeks in jail, and all my hard drives were confiscated. For years, the project appeared lost. In 2024 — six years later — the material was returned after I was acquitted of most charges. The court explicitly acknowledged my role as a professional documentary photographer.

Revisiting the images raised difficult questions: why do these men risk everything for a fight lasting less than a minute? What do they gain — and what do they stand to lose? What about the position of a photographer in between those worlds? How far does engagement go? BOSFIGHTS / LIVE FREE explores violence, but also ritual, loyalty, masculinity, control, and the search for freedom within a highly regulated society”.