“The National Geographic Exodus Aveiro Fest, that happened in the beginning of December, exceeded my expectations. The environment of closeness created between the organization, the speakers and the audience was remarkable. In fact, I think that the success of this first edition is due, in large part, to this fact.
The diversity of photographers provided a truly interesting exchange of experiences and it was easy to see that those who attended the lectures were equally interested in reports of photojournalism as in reports of adventure, the discovery of cultures and social experiences. In fact, I was quite surprised by all the dynamics of the festival. After taking part in the Magnum festival in Birmingham and the Visa Pour L’Image festival in Perpignan, I was really happy to see that the National Geographic Exodus Aveiro Fest was able to create a new way of relating to all the participants, but also to promote the contact between the photographers and the audience. As a speaker, I was particularly pleased with the feedback I received and also the best conditions for showing my work.
The success achieved and the panel of invited speakers put this initiative as a reason for international conversation and curiosity for future editions.
I received emails from international publishers and photographers interested in learning more about the festival. This international curiosity increased with the course of the road trip. I think this part of the festival was essential to deepen the exchange of experiences. The enthusiasm of the team led by Bernardo Conde was contagious and the city of Aveiro felt like a breath of fresh air taking into consideration the excessive concentration of events in Lisbon and Porto.
I am sure that the second edition will be equally successful and that it will count with me but this time on the public side.”