Jean-François Leroy, Director of Visa pour l'Image, Dies at 70
Jean-François Leroy, who co-founded and directed the Visa pour l'Image photojournalism festival, passed away from cancer on 31 August, coinciding with the festival's 38th edition in Perpignan, France. Born in Paris in 1956, he took on the role of director in 1989, significantly elevating the festival's status for photojournalists. Leroy was honored with the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres and Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite. Photographers such as Jillian Edelstein and Kadir van Lohuizen paid tribute to him. This year’s program, which Leroy curated, includes exhibitions by Hashem Shakeri, Abdulmonam Eassa, and Elise Blanchard. The festival, which is free and supported by Canon since 1990, continues until 13 September, now overseen by executive director Delphine Lelu.
Key facts
- Jean-François Leroy died of cancer on 31 August 2026
- He was co-founder and director of Visa pour l'Image since 1989
- The festival opened its 38th edition in Perpignan, France
- Leroy was born in Paris in 1956
- He worked as a photographer for Sipa Press and editor-in-chief of Photo Magazine
- VII collective launched at Visa in 2001, Noor in 2007
- He was awarded Chevalier des Arts et Lettres and Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite
- This year's exhibitions include works by Hashem Shakeri, Abdulmonam Eassa, and Elise Blanchard
- Visa is backed by Canon since 1990 and free to attend
- Women represent 22% of this year's festival program
- Perpignan's mayor is Louis Aliot of the Rassemblement National since 2020
- Exhibitions are open until 13 September
Entities
Artists
- Jean-François Leroy
- Jillian Edelstein
- Kadir van Lohuizen
- Hashem Shakeri
- Abdulmonam Eassa
- Elise Blanchard
- Ruth Eichhorn
- Jordi Borràs
- Marine Le Pen
- Louis Aliot
- Delphine Lelu
- Dominique Issermann
- Yann Arthus-Bertrand
- Laurent Van der Stockt
- Alexandra Boulat
- Stanley Greene
- Rémi Ochlik
- Guillaume Herbaut
- Paul Fusco
- David Douglas Duncan
- Roger Thérond
- Michel Decron
Institutions
- Visa pour l'Image
- Sipa Press
- Photo Magazine
- VII
- Noor
- Canon
- Rassemblement National
- Libération
- GEO Magazine
- Couvent des Minimes
- Campo Santo
- 1854 Photography
- Paris Match
- Sipa
- éd. MkF
- Photo
- L'Œil
- Le Journal des Arts
- Arche du photojournalisme
- Images Evidence
- Hachette Filipacchi
- La Vie catholique
- Le Monde
- Blind Magazine
- PetaPixel
- Visa pour l'image
- Visa Pour l'Image
- RFI
- Grande Arche de la Défense
Locations
- Perpignan
- France
- Paris
- South Africa
- Chad
- Iran
- Sudan
- Afghanistan
- Tehran
- Bala Murghab
- Darfur
- Shaddad camp
- La Défense
- Gaza
- Berlin