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Portfolio Reviews

A unique meeting point between photographers, curators, and festival directors from around the world!

IPFA Meeting Barcelona 2026

The Portfolio Reviews were part of the IPFA International Meeting 2026, an event that brought together over 50 photography festivals from around the world in Barcelona. It was an exceptional opportunity for photographers to present their work directly to festival directors and curators, establish real connections, and open doors to exhibitions and collaborations. Each participant met in individual 20-minute sessions with professionals selected for their experience and trajectory in international programming. 72 spots were available.

Photographers Testimonials

Meet the 2026 Reviewers

The reviewers were part of festivals and curating platforms worldwide. Their role was twofold: to offer a constructive professional critique of each photographer's work, and to generate proposals for future exhibitions, publications, residencies, and collaborations.

Cedric Calvados

Cedric Calvados

Cédrick-Isham Calvados is a Guadeloupean artist and filmmaker whose work explores identity, memory, and territory through Caribbean and postcolonial perspectives. A BnF laureate, he has exhibited internationally and founded FOTOLIB and the FOTOTRAS festival, promoting photography as a tool for expression, transmission, and community dialogue.

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French - English - Spanish

Ioana Cobzaru

Ioana Cobzaru

Curator and visual artist based in the Netherlands. She works independently as an art and photography festival curator, event producer, and moderator. As chair and chief curator of the Photo31 Foundation, she promotes photographers’ visibility and fosters collaborations with galleries and museums. She is passionate about supporting emerging artists.

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English - Dutch - Romanian - French

Rui Prata

Rui Prata

Rui Prata is a Portuguese curator and founder of Encontros da Imagem and the Imago Festival. With a background in history and curatorial studies, he has directed institutions, taught, and curated internationally. He is not interested in photojournalism, fashion, or advertising, focusing instead on artistic and conceptual photography.

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Portuguese - French - English - Spanish

Xavi Herrero

Xavi Herrero

Xavi Herrero is a Catalan filmmaker and producer based in Ibiza since 2014, where he founded the Ibizacinefest, the island’s international independent film festival. Awarded at the Málaga Festival, he blends cinema and photography to explore human stories. In 2025, he begins a new creative phase with Street Photography Barcelona.

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Catalan - Spanish - French

Jakub Dziewit

Jakub Dziewit

Lens-based artist, visual researcher, anthropologist, curator, and photobook publisher. Founder of the Paper Photo Festival and editor-in-chief of photobooks.pl, he lectures at Jan Długosz University and creates photobooks, exhibitions, and academic works exploring boundaries, corporeality, everyday life, and how images construct meaning.

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Polish - English

David Pujadó

David Pujadó

Based in Belgrade since 2013, where he directs Бартcелона POP UP, a photography platform with over 80 exhibitions. Founder of Belgrade Photo Month and BPM Book Week, he also curates the Catalan Film Festival in Serbia, fostering cultural exchange between Spain and the Balkans.

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Catalan - Spanish - English

Carine Van Gerven

Carine Van Gerven

Fine art photographer with a background in painting. Founder and creative director of the international photo festival Lens op de Mens in Pelt, she tells contemporary stories with a classical aesthetic. Internationally awarded, her work connects art and society through light and emotion.

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Dutch - English - German

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How do the Reviews work?

A personal meeting with a festival director or curator that can change your life.

Each review lasts 20 minutes and takes place in a one-to-one format, in a professional and close environment in the Centre Cívic Pati Llimona (Barcelona, Spain). There is no mandatory format, and you can show your work as you prefer:

  • on a computer or tablet,

  • with printed copies,

  • through a photobook,

  • with photobook dummies or works in progress,

  • or any other medium that best represents your work.

  • knowing your experience and trajectory,

  • understanding your methodology and processes,

  • discovering new perspectives,

  • evaluating projects for future exhibitions,

  • providing critical feedback and suggestions for improvement.

A good portfolio review is a conversation, not a presentation. This guide walks you through how to prepare your work, what reviewers are looking for, and how to make the most of your 20 minutes.

Preparing for the 2027 portfolio reviews?

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United
by Vision

The portfolio reviews were part of the IPFA Meeting 2026 programme. Panels, exhibitions, networking, and four days of exchange with festival professionals from across the world.

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