• Fotografia Calabria Festival
• Deadline: May 2nd, 2025
• Theme: Shared Root: Places
• Prize: €3,000+ Exhibition in Italy + Publication
• Entry Fees: Yes
• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE
The IV edition of the festival, titled "Common Roots: Places," invites all participants to creatively interpret the topic through their photographic work. Contestants are encouraged to explore the different ways in which we connect to the places around us. The festival calls for submissions that reflect on one or more of the following key themes:
Everyday Places: These are the spaces that surround us in our day-to-day lives—our homes, neighborhoods, and local spots—that hold personal or collective significance. These spaces may often be taken for granted, only to be rediscovered later with new meaning. Through your project, think about how these locations shape our individual or collective histories. How can we capture their essence and elevate them, documenting the routines and small moments that define our relationship with them? Whether it's through a fresh lens or an exploration of unnoticed details, consider how we can celebrate and crystallize these spaces in a way that makes them meaningful.
Popular Places: These are iconic locations that are widely recognized and are typically photographed in a standardized or predictable way—such as the gondola in Venice, the sunflower fields of Tuscany, or a snowy village during the holiday season. How can we photograph these famous spots in a way that’s completely different, revealing them through new perspectives or emphasizing forgotten aspects? The challenge here is to reimagine the familiar, providing viewers with a fresh interpretation that moves beyond the typical, commercialized images we often associate with these places.
Imaginary Places: Some spaces exist only in the imagination—whether as creations of art, myths, or fantasies. These places might not physically exist, but they resonate deeply with our collective cultural ideas, dreams, or visions. Your project could explore how to visually represent these imaginary worlds, bridging the gap between the tangible and the imagined. In doing so, you will have the opportunity to bring these dreamlike, surreal spaces to life in a manner that captures their emotional resonance.
The goal of this year's festival is not only to encourage a deeper exploration of how we relate to and perceive these places, but also to understand how the invisible roots of a place—its history, culture, and the stories that have been passed down—shape our connection to it. How do these unseen, but ever-present roots influence the way we perceive a place today? And how can we use photography to uncover and showcase these invisible layers, revealing the deeper stories that lie beneath the surface in an authentic and new way?
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