My previous visit to the Breda Photo Festival was in 2020. At this occasion, I discovered, among others, the photos of Xu Xiaxiao in the Grote Kerk, as reported here. Six years on, the focus has dramatically changed, but the interest has remained. One noticeable feature of today’s photography festivals is the growing attention given to photographers from parts of the world whose stories have perhaps received less exposure in the past. Breda Photo Festival reflects this trend, presenting a significant number of photographers from places such as Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan. This is certainly understandable, as these voices deserve to be heard and their work offers perspectives that might otherwise remain underrepresented. Still, I found myself wondering how this focus balances with opportunities for emerging Dutch photographers. Where, for instance, are the young Dutch talents who also deserve a place in the spotlight? That said, the photographers presented here have some compelling stories to tell, offering us a glimpse of life from “the other side”. Their work provides a disturbing account of what it means to live in southern Lebanon or Gaza today. I was particularly moved by the series Posthumous Images, presented by Moayad Arandas. After his brother Majd passed away, Moayad recovered his phone and discovered a remarkable collection of photographs documenting life in Gaza, both in times of peace and under bombardment. The result is a powerful visual testimony to a life and a place caught between ordinary moments and the horrors of war. In a different approach, Fatima Joumaa documents everyday life in a villages of southern Lebanon, also under bombardment. Her images capture simple gestures and moments of normality, alongside violence and destruction. Together, these photographs reveal the resilience of people trying to maintain a sense of everyday life in extraordinary circumstances. Moving further, Picked up some jewels, like this work in 3-D to help blind people appreciate photography, the interesting mediums or these postcards from Karthoum, another uneasy place on Earth. Finally, bringing a welcome note of joy and colour to the festival, the photographs of Vincen Beekman capturing Breda, a town immersed in the spirit of Carnival, offered a refreshing contrast to the heavier themes elsewhere in the exhibition.
