“For personal reasons, I am stepping down from my position as Artistic Director of the Festival Photoreporter in Baie de Saint-Brieuc. I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me,” wrote Didier Rapaud on Monday, February 18, 2013. Reached by telephone, the former director played down his disagreements with festival promoter Alexandre Solacolu, who asserted that, “Didier did everything for the festival this year. He chose the jury and was by their side throughout the voting the process, the winner of which will be made public on March 2 in Saint-Brieuc.”

The buzz around the festival has been increasing ever since its launch. What haven’t we heard about this wild initiative to actually pay photographers for their work! The idea was disturbing. I remember how skeptical I was when Solacolu first told me about the idea at Visa pour l’Image in 2011. It was only when he mentioned that Didier Rapaud would be the artistic director that I started to believe in the project.

Today, although the 2013 edition will certainly be held (they received 300 applications from photographers), the future of the festival is in doubt.

Michel Puech