The Rencontres Photo de Tanger are pleased to announce the launch, in July 2026, of an artistic and institutional partnership with the Pierrevert Photography Nights festival (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). Two festivals, two shores, and a shared conviction: that contemporary photography is conceived and shaped anew through dialogue and cultural and human exchange.
Since its inception in 2019, Face à la Mer has pursued a simple yet ambitious goal in Tangier: to provide independent photographers from Morocco and the Mediterranean region with a space for training, networking, and making their voices heard beyond their borders. This new connection with Pierrevert is a natural extension of that mission—a way to carry the perspectives the festival has championed since its early days even further afield.
A story that began in Essaouira
It all started eight years ago on the ramparts of the Nuits Photographiques d’Essaouira festival. It was there, between exhibitions, that a conversation among photography enthusiasts gave rise to a shared vision: that of Stéphane Kossmann, founder of the Nuits Photographiques de Pierrevert, and Mina Mostefa and Wilfrid Estève, directors of the Rencontres Photo de Tanger.
What began as a simple exchange between photographers evolved, year after year, into a joint project—one that was patiently nurtured until this official partnership was formed.
Spanning the Luberon, the Strait of Gibraltar, and Carcassonne, a shared set of values ultimately forged this bridge: a commitment to photography that is human, accessible, and socially engaged—attentive to the changing world and to new ways of seeing.
Expanding the Bridge
The partnership with Pierrevert strengthens the momentum already building within the Face à la mer network, opening up new avenues for its photographers and their work to circulate.
Three key pillars will shape this collaboration:
Reciprocal residencies: Photographers supported by Face à la mer will gain opportunities to create and exhibit work in Pierrevert—a tangible way to bring series born in Tangier to the light of Haute-Provence and foster artistic mobility between the two shores.
Educational exchanges: Stéphane Kossmann joins the mentorship team at the Photo Meetings of Tangier, while Mina Mostefa and Wilfrid Estève join the jury at the Pierrevert festival—a mutual partnership in which each festival lends its perspective to the other.
Network sharing: By pooling their professional networks, the two festivals offer the photographers they support greater visibility on an international scale.
The Mediterranean as a space for creation
By formalizing this connection, Facing the sea and the Nuits Photographiques de Pierrevert affirm a shared conviction: the Mediterranean is not a border, but a space for dialogue and creation.
Through photography, the two festivals aim to build a lasting bridge between artists, regions, and audiences—and to offer, in both Tangier and Pierrevert, a place where perspectives from the North and South continue to engage with one another.
An already flourishing partnership:
As part of our new partnership with Les Nuits Photographiques de Pierrevert, the winners of the 2026 and 2025 “Révélation” prize—Hanane El Boukili and Lahib Photography (Charaf Lahib)—were showcased during the screenings on Saturday, July 25.
