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Death of Jean-François Leroy, founder of the Visa pour l'image festival

Jean-François Leroy, a pioneer in photojournalism and director of the Visa pour l'image festival, has passed away in Paris at 69, as the festival opens in Perpignan.

31 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Death of Jean-François Leroy, founder of the Visa pour l'image festival — Archive photoPhoto: Photo Claude TRUONG-NGOC · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Jean-François Leroy, renowned for his role as director of the Visa pour l'image festival, died on Monday in Paris at the age of 69. This international photojournalism festival, which he founded in 1989, opens this year under particularly emotional circumstances.

The announcement of his death coincides with the start of the 38th edition of the festival in Perpignan, where many notable figures in photojournalism gather to honor his legacy and contribution to the field.

Death of Jean-François Leroy, founder of the Visa pour l'image festival — Photo: Jeanne Menjoulet · Flickr · BY

Delphine Lelu, the festival's general director, recently praised Leroy's lasting impact on photojournalism. She expressed her sadness over his loss, as well as the feelings shared by the entire Visa pour l'image team.

The photojournalism community mourns the loss of a passionate advocate for the art, having spent nearly forty years defending and promoting the work of photojournalists. At Perpignan, festival attendees are invited to pay tribute to his journey.

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