A screening to savour

I have been coming to Visa pour l’Image for four years now and last night I witnessed something very new and exciting. Instead of going to Campo Santo for the evening screenings I sat in the Place de la Republique with many friends and colleagues from World Press Photo, a glass of rosé in hand and a plate or two of tapas on the table. The crowds began to gather, the screen flickered, and then we heard the voice of Jean-François Leroy without seeing him…

Then the technicians pushed the right button and he appeared on the massive screen to great cheers from the assembled crowd. As ever at Visa pour l’Image the content of these screenings effects you in many ways but unlike the silent, reverent atmosphere of Campo Santo the response to the presentations was immediate and at times very audible. Great cheers went up when the work of favoured photographers was flashed on screen, and then came a huge contrast when the cheers fell to a hushed silence as the sheer power of the images clearly stunned us all.

This is a new experience and a new type of presentation for Visa and, as a seasoned campaigner I say “long may it last.” It is different, it is less focused perhaps, but it was electrifying. I must rush to reserve our table for tonight. Just don’t tell anyone else…

Elsbeth Schouten