The Tank Man, alone on a large square in China, in front of a column of tanks:
a tyranny is challenged. Terrified children running away from a napalm attack:
a war must end. Two politicians, seen from behind, one German, one French,
hand in hand: Europe is personified. These are all photos that have made their
contribution to history, and they will always remain in our hearts. Photojournalism
is journalism’s boisterous little brother, and they are equal players in the exercise
of democracy. Photojournalism, through eye-witness reporting is there for
citizens in search of enlightenment, helping them develop a critical approach.
The festival Visa pour l’Image was founded 35 years ago in recognition of
professional photoreporting, and is now making a contribution to defend it. In an
era of fake news, with risks arising from artificial intelligence without any effective
regulation, and with the chronic underfunding of news media across the world,
photojournalism is under threat.
Yet photojournalism is more essential than ever. Around forty or even fewer
countries around the world have a system that allows genuine freedom of the
press, of free media. Visual reports and investigation are crucial importance
to provide an understanding of a world and societies that are increasingly
perceived as sources of anxiety. Photos can uncover and expose, show
things arbitrary, show pollution and all sorts of violence, but they can also
assert a positive position offering hope by reporting on shared happiness
and inspiring initiatives.
In early September, the city of Perpignan becomes the capital of the now legendary
profession of photojournalism. While people working in the photography
industry around the world come to Perpignan for Visa pour l’Image, the festival
is intended for the general public, for everyone. Twenty-six exhibitions are open
to all visitors, on sites and in venues with their own special charm and history.
In the evening, at Campo Santo, stories are projected on the giant screen, so
make sure you do not miss out on the opportunity to attend these shows which
are unforgettable.
We have the support of all our partners, patrons and sponsors: public authorities
(the City of Perpignan, of course, the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Occitania,
the Département of the Pyrénées-Orientales, and the Chamber of Commerce and
Industry for the Pyrénées-Orientales), plus private entities, ranging from large
international companies to local small and medium-sized businesses, as well as
private individuals. Through the backing provided by them, Visa pour l’Image can
be open to everybody free of charge. That was how it was at the very beginning,
and 35 years later it is still the case, as a festival fighting the good fight for a noble
cause. And through your visits and attendance, you are making your contribution.
Pierre Conte President of the Association Visa pour l’Image - Perpignan
Editorial
The dramatic increase in the number of photographers, or at least of
persons claiming to be so, has coincided with a reverse phenomenon
which is the disappearance of picture editors. When we heard that
Kathy Ryan was retiring after 39 years at the New York Times Magazine,
we felt great sorrow and a wave of nostalgia. Someone will no doubt
take her place, but many other media are simply doing away with these
positions or appointing novices. At Visa pour l’Image we have an
opportunity to pay tribute to these figures so often overlooked, but who
play a crucial role in maintaining the editorial standards of a newspaper,
and also the standards of the entire industry.
How many exhibitions and feature stories screened in the evening
shows in Perpignan can be traced back to a phone call from one of
these picture editors, to their enthusiasm for a report they produced or
noticed? How many thousands of euros have they managed to salvage
in budget allocations for photo departments in the face of drastic cost-
cutting measures? How many stories that are now legendary were
made possible through the daring, flair and creative spirit of professional
picture editors who realize that a good headline gets an even better
reaction when there is a good photo to go with it? Yet readers and the
general public usually have no idea of who the picture editors are, and
sometimes they are quite unaware of the photographers too. It is an
unfortunate state of affairs.
The tragic and powerful photograph taken by Mohammad Salem has
just received the World Press Photo award, and behind it is a talented
team under the leadership of Rickey Rogers (Reuters) who had the skill
to pick out the one photo from a steady influx of images, finding the one
that makes us stop and think.
The talent of a worthy picture editor is particularly relevant in these
times when it is increasingly difficult to gain access to war zones. With
more and more pictures being produced, and more homogenous
output, with platforms sending out endless streams of images, how can
a story be told in a different way? How can people be drawn to focus
on a story when there are so many players bidding for their attention?
At Visa pour l’Image, with our juries and different approaches, we shall
continue to defend and advocate for these men and women working in
the background, for the picture editors whose visual skills help shape
our relationship with the world.
Jean-François Leroy April 24, 2024
26 Exhibitions
Loay Ayyoub for The Washington Post: The Tragedy of Gaza
Winner of the 2024 Ville de Perpignan Rémi Ochlik Visa d’or Award
For five months, from the first hours following the unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas
on October 7, 2023, until February 2024, Loay Ayyoub photographed the war in Gaza for
The Washington Post, covering one of the most destructive conflicts of the 21st century, one that
has killed tens of thousands, fueled the largest displacement in the region since the creation of
Israel in 1948, and plunged at least half the population into famine-like conditions.
Karen Ballard: Venice, California
An insider’s view of the iconic, quirky Los Angeles coastal town long known as a bohemian haven, an
artistic hub, and public beach, a place where beauty, surf, wealth, and the harsh realities of 21st century
America exist side by side. Over the last decade, legendary Venice, (a.k.a. Venice Beach) has slowly
evolved from its storied past to its colorful, complicated, modern present.
After crossing the border with Myanmar, thousands of Rohingya refugees continue their terrible journey to the Cox’s Bazar camp. Bangladesh, October 9, 2017. © Paula Bronstein / Getty Images
The world of photojournalism has undergone profound changes in the course of Paula Bronstein’s
career extending over four decades. Today, at the age of 70, she still has the same commitment to telling
people’s stories as she had in the 1980s. She has witnessed the horrors of war and the devastation
of natural disasters. In war-ravaged lands such as Ukraine and Afghanistan her work conveys the
resilience, courage and hope of those who have lost so much.
Cinzia Canneri Winner of the 2023 Camille Lepage Award: Women’s Bodies as Battlefields
The systematic targeting of women’s bodies in war has come to light as a strategy used around the
world. This project documenting the issue has focused on the war in Tigray that broke out in 2020.
United Nations human rights experts have accused all parties involved of atrocities, some of them
crimes against humanity. Eritrean armed forces used sexual violence as a weapon of war against
both Eritrean and Tigrayan women, punishing Eritrean women for fleeing their country, and targeting
Tigrayan women to exterminate them. Their bodies became battlefields.
Alejandro Cegarra / The New York Times / Bloomberg: The Two Walls
Since 2019, Mexico’s immigration policies have undergone a significant shift as a nation historically open
to migrants and asylum seekers at its southern border has become a country enforcing strict immigration
measures. The collaboration between the United States and Mexico to deny asylum and restrict migration
has created even greater barriers. Physical, psychological, and administrative obstacles have been set up
to enforce harsh migration policies, shutting doors once open to those most in need.
Miquel Dewever-Plana For Le Figaro Magazine: Mayotte: Military service for a second chance
The island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean is part of France, and a special form of military service is available
here. Every year 800 young men and women can undertake initial military training, plus further training
in sectors enlisting recruits. For most of the trainees who have had educational and social problems, the
military environment is an introduction to concepts of citizenship that can help them fit into mainstream
society. For these young people, military service is a second opportunity, offering a new start in life.
René is retired. He used to raise livestock, and lived in dire conditions. He saw farmers getting poorer and poorer and realized that his world would disappear. Central France, Puy-de-Dôme, 2016. © Pierre Faure / Hans Lucas
Pierre Faure has been investigating poverty in France since 2015, going to different regions and spending
12 to 18 months in each one, building up personal relationships based on trust, and taking pictures that
convey ideas discussed, yet also containing a sense of mystery, of things left unspoken. The work is not
just a report on living conditions; it goes beyond documentary records to grasp the life of the people
whose existence is the essence of his photography.
Jean-Louis Fernandez: The Comédie-Française, on and off stage
Jean-Louis Fernandez is devoted to live theater and dance, and here he is presenting a photographic
record of the Comédie-Française theater and company in Paris, showing the entire creative process,
from rehearsal to performance, on and off stage, even venturing into dressing rooms. With time
suspended, he captures moments rarely seen by outsiders: time devoted to work, concentration or
relaxation, a fleeting moment of private reflection discreetly observed. The doors of the Comédie-
Française were opened to him, offering the opportunity to record his view of the theater and company
dating back to 1680 and thriving today.
Corentin Fohlen / Divergence For Paris Match: Haiti and the Power of the Gangs
Since the protests of 2019, Haiti has suffered crisis upon crisis. In 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was
assassinated and armed gangs took control in Port-au-Prince. In February 2024, a coalition of armed
gangs led by Jimmy Chérizier refused to accept Prime Minister Ariel Henry as legitimate leader, forcing
him to resign, which he did on March 11. The country was then left in the hands of gangs mounting
attacks on national institutions and police.
Jérôme Gence: The Screen Generation
During the Covid lockdowns in 2020, children’s screen time soared, and with the advent of online teaching
and learning plus working from home, human relationships and leisure activities have become increasingly
digital. The hyper-connected younger generation growing up in this environment have suffered effects on
their health and mental development, and are exposed to threats to their safety, e.g. the risk of cyberbullying
and contacts with undesirable persons.
Afshin Ismaeli / Aftenposten: Life Under the Taliban 2.0
Two decades after being removed from power, the Taliban regained control in Kabul to rule over
Afghanistan once again. Afshin Ismaeli is presenting his portrayal of different facets of the existence
of both the people and the Taliban fighters since the takeover. His images document the challenges of
everyday life and highlight the courage and resistance of the Afghan people, showing their relentless
pursuit of hopes for the future.
Brenda Ann Kenneally: Grown Upstate: The Legacy of Love in the Collar City, 2013-2023
Grown Upstate is the second half of a 20-year participatory project documenting three generations of
an extended family who have come of age on a single block in Troy, New York. Their stories form an
emotional landscape in post-industrial America, showing the country’s general abandonment of poor
and working-class families, and the ultimate decline of the American nation
Soldiers with the DRC Armed Forces moving past Zaina displacement camp which is emptying as the frontline moves closer. April 8, 2023, Sake, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. © Hugh Kinsella Cunningham Winner of the 2024 Humanitarian Visa d’or Award - International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the conflict with the M23 rebel movement has
forced more than a million civilians to abandon their homes and seek shelter in vast displacement
camps. On the frontline, the Armed Forces of the DRC are battling the advancing rebels. In this longterm
aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the conflict has been escalating and has reached a
critical point: armed combatants are scrambling to capture and hold territory, while rockets, artillery
and mortars have begun to hit civilian targets, including displacement sites, killing dozens, and
wounding hundreds more.
Paolo Manzo Winner of the 2023 Pierre & Alexandra Boulat Award: The Invisible City
The photographic reportage on The Invisible City in the outskirts of Naples is an ongoing project
spanning a period of more than twenty years. It presents a raw view of run down and abandoned areas
in the city that have been neglected by the authorities. Individual stories as well as news events are
portrayed through shattered lives, revealing hidden perspectives in the city.
John Moore / Getty Images: Ecuador – Internal Armed Conflict
Ecuador, while traditionally one of South America’s most peaceful countries, now has one of the highest
homicide rates in the region. In early 2024, in a bid to combat widespread extortion and the surge in drugrelated
gang violence, President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict.” Police and military have
arrested thousands in a nationwide crackdown on some twenty gangs said to be terrorist organizations
Emilio Morenatti / AP: A Photographer’s Journey Through Daily Life, Conflict and Personal Loss
Emilio Morenatti has been awarded two Pulitzer Prizes, one for his coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic
in his native Spain, and one for documenting the devastation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine where he
worked with a team of Associated Press photographers. Throughout his career with the AP, Morenatti
has braved extreme danger, always maintaining his commitment to his craft, even after losing a leg
while on assignment in Afghanistan in 2009, an injury which he says makes him “empathize even more
and feel closer to the victims.”
Sergey Ponomarev / The New York Times / Getty Images: West Bank
Since October 7, the attention of the world has been focused on Gaza: tens of thousands killed, millions
displaced, a humanitarian crisis and dozens of Israeli hostages still being held there. Yet the West Bank
has also witnessed some of its darkest days, but drawing very little attention.
A soldier with the Sudanese Armed Forces driving through what was once Al-Shaabi market in Omdurman, an area liberated from RSF control in March 2024. © Ivor Prickett for The New York Times
The war in Sudan has raged, with little attention, for over a year now. Millions have been displaced
and many thousands have already been killed, with that number set to continue to rise as the
fighting rumbles on and the prospect of a catastrophic famine grows.
On assignment for The New York Times earlier this year, photographer Ivor Prickett and writer
Declan Walsh gained rare access to the government controlled areas of the country and brought
back a devastating report, of a fragmented country on its knees.
Francisco Proner / Agence VU’: Mining Destruction
In Brazil, the cities of Brumadinho, Mariana and Maceió have been marked forever by environmental
tragedies. The consequences of mining in Latin America are evidence of crimes against the environment
committed by multinationals in their ruthless management of the industry. In Brumadinho and Mariana
dams burst wreaking devastation, destroying lives, leaving scars on both the landscape and the
survivors. Uncontrolled mining in Maceió caused the land to collapse, burying homes and dreams.
On what remains of their land, the people are crying out for help, pleading for justice.
Anastasia Taylor-Lind Winner of the 2023 Canon Female Photojournalist Grant: 5K From the Frontline
The project 5K From the Frontline focuses on everyday life in the war-torn region of Donbas in eastern
Ukraine. Outside mainstream representations of war, the work produced over the past six years by
anthropologist and writer Alisa Sopova and photojournalist Anastasia Taylor-Lind presents a nuanced
view of the experience of life in the midst of military violence.
Gaël Turine For Le Figaro Magazine: The Ravages of Tranq Dope
The United States is going through a fourth overdose wave with a drug-related death recorded on
average every five minutes. One of the main culprits is xylazine, a potent sedative used in veterinary
medicine and which, when blended with an opioid, heroin or crack, becomes tranq dope, the most
dangerous drug on the market. Gaël Turine reported on the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia,
now the tranq hub of the East Coast of the United States.
African immigrants waiting for the Red Cross bus that will drive them to the port of Tarifa where they will be given food, clothing and blankets. Punta Paloma, Spain, 2001. © Ad van Denderen / Agence VU’
Dutch photographer Ad van Denderen has had a long career in documentary photography, making
so many trips for his photo projects that he has often been “en route” as it were. In an increasingly
complex world with changing views of photojournalism, he has endeavored to go beyond clichés, and
instead of seeking out the latest news stories, focuses on one particular situation and its underlying
processes.
Mugur Varzariu: Voices Rising Behind the Wall
Mugur Varzariu has been reporting on the everyday life of Roma communities in Romania ever since
2010. After seeing forced displacements and a wall erected to segregate them from mainstream society,
he decided to report on the injustice suffered by Roma people, often with no access to drinking water,
housing or education, and showing examples of the persecution they have endured for so long.
Alfred Yaghobzadeh: Alfred’s Journey
Winner of the 2023 La Saif-Benoît Schaeffer Publishing Grant for a Photography Book
War reporter Alfred Yaghobzadeh took his first photos of tragic events in his home country, Iran, in 1979,
at the time of the Islamic Revolution. Since then he has devoted his life to covering dramatic events that
are now historic. The exhibition presents a selection of photos from the book Alfred’s Journey, featuring
stories over almost half a century which stand as memories of the world recorded for posterity.
The Paris Olympics - 2024
With the Olympics in France this year, Visa pour l’Image is duty bound to feature the Games, and will be
following the different events every day through the eyes of AFP photographers to provide festival-goers
with striking visual records. The Paralympics will have direct coverage screened in the evening shows
at Campo Santo with daily reports.
