Ragusa Foto Festival 2025 Explores Identity and Place Through Photography

Scheduled from August 28 to 31, 2025, the 13th Ragusa Foto Festival, entitled Beyond Appearance, will take place in a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sicily. This yearly festival showcases exhibitions, workshops, and awards that delve into themes such as vulnerability, healing, and strength. Italian artist Cristina Vatielli employs drones to capture aerial self-portraits of herself nude in rugged terrains, exploring issues of infertility and mental health. Finnish photographer Maria Lax returns to her native land to address feelings of displacement stemming from years of travel. Jessica Backhaus highlights the transformations in Nętno, a small Polish town post-Berlin Wall. Alessia Rollo challenges southern Italy's stereotypes by reinterpreting its cultural heritage. Organized by Ragusa Foto Festival and featured in Aesthetica Magazine, content will be available starting August 24, 2025. Vatielli's works include images from her Terra Mater series, taken in Costa della Morte, Galizia (2022), Valle, and Marmitte dei Giganti in Val Antigorio, Piemonte (2022).