5.5.09

FESTIMAGE

In Portugal there is no event on the photo you may have to move to compare with the Festimage. But despite this, the Festimage has been criticized, that are repeated from year to year. The Festimage going to take place this year for the fourth consecutive year. In the three previous editions 5217 people attended the event, from 92 countries.

The event takes place through a web site (www.festimage.org), which has full versions in seven languages. Besides the indisputable quality of business competitors who achieve the best votes in the contest, have participated in Festimage as members of their boards, internationally recognized personalities in the fields of photography and digital art.

Some examples: The Canadian photographer Sacha Dean Biyan, the graphic artist Chilean Sutulov Alexander, a university professor argentina Susana Pérez Tort, the organizer of international events and Australian lecturer Steve Danzig, President of the Association of Professional Photographers of Spain, Norbert Thomas. To see detail the extent of these persons - and those were by name - just do a brief search on the Internet, or go directly to the site of our event. In panels of this year involved a group of teachers of the Portuguese Institute of Photography.

And they are already confirmed, also, the shares of the President of the Spanish Confederation of Photography and Director of the Italian Center of Photography of Author. Each year the Festimage - and the city where home is and where it materializes - is announced and cited in hundreds of web sites throughout the world in the most diverse languages. Last year we find two hundred pages "Web" which alluded to the event flaviense. This year, halfway through the schedule of the competition, I discovered nearly a hundred. With the work of the finalist, annually, make up exhibitions of paintings and exhibit on the city streets of major extensions, some with widths greater than six meters. Sum. In Portugal there is no event related to the photograph (that is associated with digital art) that may have to move to compare with the Festimage. Only the "BES Photo" will step in to do that in Chaves. But nonetheless, this event, prmovido by a bank, is only intended for domestic photography. But despite all this, the Festimage has been criticized, that are repeated from year to year, published in the Blog flaviense Fernando Ribeiro, the signs.

The author - amateur photographer -, yielded the size of Festimage doubt, always saying that "in general, agrees with the event. But it has the drawback of not [have] a premium on Keys and photos to their villages, which do not leave keys or right or wrong in photography, just not leaving. "And growing that" deserved more of this festival Keys, and a portal on the Net, a call made in the Net, votes on the Net and delivery of premiums made in the Net " According to him, "Chaves would be much more was released in the image, with photographs of the land here, rather than virtually, receive photos from other stops, with photographers around the world (yes sir) but without even knowing where it is and , there are going to Indian awards, with photos of India, where even the winner sets foot on keys to receive the prize because until the delivery of prizes is virtually a 'click' computer.

" However, the author of the criticism starts to confuse the Festimage immediately with a competition of photography. And is not. Pay attention to the name of the event: Festimage - International Festival of the Image. Do not mention the photograph. It is clear that the photo image. Yeah. Therefore, the predominant event. But the art is also a digital image and can not have anything to do with the photo. Only because of this detail, would create an inappropriate level of parish to accept only "pictures" of the county here because it could be who you wanted to compete in the form of digital art, and it is known, is still to create a digital art "here the land. " But even that event was just the photo, it would be enough to create a premium theme which was mandatory keys or his county. How stupid would that Banco Espirito Santo, thinking that it is to promote, would oblige the photographers who contribute to the "Photo BES" in its work to include photographs of the facade or the interior of the bank. It is true that the event could cover this and other ways "protectionist" for "our" photographers. And if restringíssemos residents, then, surely all the years we would have one of "our" as winner of Festimage. Then, because the value of the premium would also be part of municipal, I do not see that attract photographers from far away.

To come here and people from Ourense Lamego already here we have the cod of the restaurants and the casino roulette. But there is another point that escapes the author of criticism, even assuming the Festimage as a competition of photography. It is, as is widely used internationally and open to the world, nothing in its rules, prevents the flavienses photographers to compete. And, of course, may do it with photos of our town and our villages. And some have done it. The big problem is that such work, like all others, are evaluated for quality and not the objects photographed. Moreover, for who is photographer and believes that the promotion of their land is reduced to the displaying of photos there take, will the Fernando Ribeiro compete with photos of their keys, the endless competition of photography throughout the world that out. It is said that the winners "do not put your feet here" to receive the awards. Right. One was from Colombia and two (in two successive years) were from India.

Of course, if the Festimage be local in scope - or even national - would be cheap to invite the winners to a ceremony of delivery of awards to be held in Chaves.

And would thus be explained as critical, the promotion of protected keys in the world. While this runs the risk of falls on a winner who was in Vilar de Nantes. Or, come on in Vieira do Minho. But as the critic to agree, "in general" with the lines of Festimage - assuming, therefore, its international component -, Fernando Ribeiro could give us an idea of how to get money to pay a visit to the Keys winners, when they are distant lands. Moreover, there are events that do that. And not only with the winners. Also invited members of the jury, promotes conferences and lectures, etc.. This is the case of the Photo España in Madrid. But there have an annual budget of two million (the cost of the Municipal Library.) In any case, the criticism, even the poorly maintained, are always legitimate. And we observed. But since made in good faith. But, unfortunately, those of Fernando Ribeiro are not in good faith. Given precisely its concern about the lack of pictures of keys on the site of Festimage, the data structure of the event was added to the photo galleries of the city.

And Fernando Ribeiro was, repeatedly, asked to put 20 pictures of their authors, the city and county, one of those galleries. But even should respond to the invitation. For what is seen as legitimate, after all, is more committed to putting the Festimage of defects that make use of it in order to promote their land in ways that are the most effective means. And the intent of Fernando Ribeiro, also known as militant of the Socialist Party, are more clearly down when the political and partisan attack.

Attack the City Council, PSD, promoter and financier of the event, saying in his blog that, in making the Festimage, "does not look to the money that is spent." And round to ask how many people have keys to the Festimage, although such expenses ... The Festimage, of course, has no means, including financial, to attract crowds. But one thing is undisputed. Has attracted more attention than the keys to spray that the Board put in the river, in time of local elections, when it was chaired by a socialist. Spray that actually will rot, forgotten, some local store. And that cost taxpayers an amount that would pay for three editions of Festimage. Spending which, of course, never bothered Fernando Ribeiro.

Declaration of interest The Festimage was designed by me and is organized annually in the services provided by the company Official Chaves, Ltd., of which I am a partner, and which publishes the newspaper. With this text I am only defending the Festimage, alien to all that can displease or interest to the two parties referred to, of which I have always been, and remains, hard shot.