In October 2011, we announced the creation of a new event dedicated to photojournalism. More than simple exhibitions of existing works, this festival finances and helps produce the work of the photographers. One year later, the first edition of the Photo Reporter festival will open its doors to the public in Saint-Brieuc, a coastal town in northwestern France. Until November 11, 2012, the region will welcome fifteen exhibitions by photographers who were selected from the 300 submitted applications.
“The watchword of the festival is ‘being useful to the photographer.’ That’s why we thought of new financing tools to give photographers the means to produce new works. But it’s also to introduce the public to their work by making the exhibitions free. Visitors will have exclusive access to new works by some of the greatest names in photojournalism.” – Alexandre Solacolu, Director of the Festival Photoreporter
“For me photography is more than a passion, it’s a reason to live. The talents of the profession’s biggest names have led me to experience unforgettable moments. Contemporary artists continue to thrill me, and the younger generations challenge me with their ways of seeing the world, how they transcribe through the image all the richness, beauty and cruelty that are the driving forces behind men. Photojournalism is a subject of general interest. The Festival Photoreporter is just one of the ways that allows us to think of its future and remind the world of its utility.” – Didier Rapaud, Directeur Artistique du Festival Photoreporter
This year’s program is strong. We find Gary Knight (US) in the desert of southern Arizona, on the Mexican border following the long and dangerous journey of illegal immigrants. Ami Vitale (US) gets involved in the heart of the geopolitical conflict in Kashmir, this small disputed territory on the India-Pakistan border. Claudine Doury (FR) invites viewers to follow the rituals and preparations for the festivities celebrating the sleepless nights of people living beyond the polar circles. The young photographer Sonia Naudy (FR) visited women’s prisons in Afghanistan, while Cédric Gerbehaye sketches a portrait of Belgium, a country divided into two nations.
This year’s artist in residence in Franck Vogel, who presents his exhibition The Waters of the Nile: Sharing or War, which offers an overview of the conflicts between different African countries fighting over the water resources of the world’s largest river.
The whole program is available here, and here.
Photo Reporter, festival international de la Baie de St Brieuc 2012
First Edition
Opening week : October 19th – 27th 2012
Exhibitions from October 19th to 11th November 2012
Festival Photoreporter
7, rue Saint Gouéno
22 000 Saint-Brieuc – France
[email protected]
tél. +33 (0)2 96 33 53 54
Book Signing
On Saturday, October 27th, 2012 – 5pm
17h, Librairie Chapitre
Centre commercial Les Champs à Saint-Brieuc
– Franck Vogel : « Je ne suis pas un talisman »
– Thomas Van Houtryve : « La lutte continue »
– Claudine Doury : livre d’un collectif « Misère Urbaine »
– Zeng Nian : « Chine, Les Trois Gorges : Le plus grand barrage du monde »
– Cédric Gerbehaye : « Congo in Limbo »
– Gwen Dubourthoumieu : « Sur la piste de Tarzan »
– Gaël Turine : « Aujourd’hui, c’est demain » ; « Other worlds » ; « Lettres d’Erythrée »
And :
– Patrick Mahé : directeur des éditions Durocher pour les ouvrages « Les dossiers secrets de Paris Match » ; « Culture Whisky » ; « La France vue du ciel »
– Michel Steboun : 40 ans de photojournalisme, Génération Sipa
