Chiara Carolei, founder of the blog Con un viaggio nella testa, was fascinated by the power of the images exhibited at the Festival of Ethical Photography and tells us her impressions.

I've been meaning to take part in the Festival of Ethical Photography for years and I'm sure that after this first experience, I won't miss out on future editions.

The story of the Festival of Ethical Photography
Founded in 2010 thanks to the Gruppo Fotografico Progetto Immagine, an association of cultural volunteers, the Festival of Ethical Photography represents a unique initiative dedicated to deepening the relationship between ethics, communication and photography. The objective is to "offer photojournalism projects that deal with content that has a significant ethical impact, drawing the attention of a very wide public to subject matter that is often forgotten, distant realities involving men and women who are otherwise invisible, giving space to those who are producing this kind of photography".

Taking part in the Festival of Ethical Photography
I would advise you to set aside a whole day for the exhibitions, this will enable you to fully appreciate them and, at the same time, discover all the beauty of the city of Lodi. Squares, art nouveau buildings, shops and restaurants form the background to the festival and make it even more interesting.
Once you've collected your tickets in Piazza del Broletto you'll be given a very useful plan containing information about all the locations and exhibitions, with regards both to the authors and the subject matter. The locations vary from palaces and parks to banks and deconsecrated churches. It is also a great opportunity to see inside palaces that you would not otherwise have access to. Some locations, such as the Parco Isola Carolina, are free. This therefore also gives access to those who have not bought tickets to the festival. 

The content of the Festival of Ethical Photography
The festival hosts photographic works from all over the world, thus giving a broad view of current events, as well as of stylistic choices. And the thing that thrilled me the most was this: finding themes of extraordinary relevance today. I believe that this is the strength of the Festival of Ethical Photography: giving a voice to the events that mark our time, but also to the lives of ordinary people who nevertheless have a lot to tell us and to teach us.  

The 2020 edition
This year, the Festival of Ethical Photography saw 80 leading artists in 22 staged exhibitions. At the Palazzo della Provincia you will find images of the bushfires in Australia, the protests in Hong Kong and the most striking moments of the pandemic (it is not by chance that the 2020 edition has also been extended to the Codogno area). It was like seeing one's own life catapulted into a history book, made up of momentous and unforgettable events 

From this year onwards, the Festival of Ethical Photography will be an absolutely unmissable occasion for me.

Useful information: festivaldellafotografiaetica.it