Jean-François Leroy, Founder of Visa pour l’image Photojournalism Festival, Dies at 69
Jean-François Leroy, the founder and historic director of the Visa pour l’image international photojournalism festival, died Monday morning in Paris from cancer at age 69. His death came on the very day the 38th edition of the festival opened in Perpignan, France, according to RTBF.
Born on October 3, 1956, in Paris, Leroy co-founded the festival in 1989 with Roger Thérond, the former editor-in-chief of Paris Match magazine. Over nearly four decades, he transformed it into the only festival dedicated exclusively to press photography, attracting more than 200,000 visitors annually and more than 3,000 accredited journalists.
A Life Devoted to Photojournalism
Leroy’s journey into photography began through his aunt, an editor-in-chief at La Vie catholique, who taught him darkroom techniques. He started medical studies before turning to photography, collaborating with magazines such as Photo-Reporter and Le Photographe before becoming editor-in-chief of Photo Magazine from 1985 to 1987, as documented in his Wikipedia biography.
A former press photographer at the Sipa Press agency, Leroy proposed the idea of a photojournalism festival to the city of Perpignan in 1988. When the city initially refused, he persisted—famously claiming support from Paris Match that he did not yet have, as L’Indépendant later revealed. He then convinced Thérond to back the project, and the first edition launched in 1989. At the festival’s debut, Leroy famously rented a car and drove through Perpignan’s streets with a megaphone to inform residents about the exhibitions.
Tributes Pour In
“Toute l’équipe de Visa pour l’Image - Perpignan et toute la famille de Jean-François Leroy ont la tristesse de vous annoncer la mort, ce lundi 31 août au matin, du fondateur et directeur historique du festival international du photojournalisme,” the festival announced on Instagram. On X, the festival added: “Il avait accompagné et mis en valeur des photojournalistes du monde entier.”
Delphine Lelu, Director General of Visa pour l’image, told AFP: “C’est l’âme de ce festival, il l’a porté à bout de bras depuis la première édition, en 1989. Il nous laisse un grand héritage. Il a toujours voulu que Perpignan soit un phare pour les photojournalistes, on va faire en sorte que le festival continue de briller.”
Photographer Samuel Bollendorff paid tribute in Le Monde, describing Leroy as “une des grandes, et peut-être des dernières incarnations du photojournalisme du XXe siècle, de son éthique et de son engagement.”
The city of Perpignan expressed its “profonde tristesse” and saluted “la mémoire d’un homme de conviction, infatigable défenseur de la liberté de la presse et du photojournalisme d’exception, qui a consacré sa vie à donner à voir le monde tel qu’il est,” as reported by ICI/France Bleu.
The 38th Edition: A Festival Without Its Founder
The 38th edition of Visa pour l’image opened on August 29 and runs through September 13. It was the first edition without Leroy’s physical presence, though he participated “from A to Z” in its preparation despite his illness, according to Lelu. “Malgré la maladie, il a eu à cœur de valider chaque exposition, chaque photo,” she said at the festival’s opening, as reported by L’Indépendant.
His last editorial, published in the 2026 festival program, addressed the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence for photojournalism—a fitting final contribution from a man who spent his career championing the authenticity of press photography.
A Lasting Legacy
Leroy was decorated as Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite (2004), and Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (2009). In 2026, he published “Le devoir de regarder : histoires et réflexions sur le photojournalisme” with Isabelle Fougère.
Georges Bartoli, a Catalan photoreporter, recalled to France Bleu how Leroy “a ouvert au jeune photoreporter ultra local que j’étais, les portes d’un monde bien plus vaste que celui du département.” He described Leroy as someone with “la passion chevillée au corps pour les photos mais surtout pour les photographes.”
As the festival continues in Perpignan without its founder, the legacy of Jean-François Leroy remains embedded in every exhibition. As Lelu promised: “On va faire en sorte que le festival continue de briller.”