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Kranj Foto Fest Transforms the City into a Vibrant Open-Air Gallery

Kranj Foto Fest Transforms the City into a Vibrant Open-Air Gallery

From 27 August to 27 September 2025, Kranj will come alive with intimate and thought-provoking photography as the international Kranj Foto Fest returns for its fifth edition. As the only Slovenian festival dedicated to contemporary photography, it turns the entire town into a vibrant open-air gallery.

Kranj is no random host. While the invention of photography is formally attributed to France, it was in the same period that Janez Puhar, a native of Kranj, laid the foundations for permanent photographic images. His innovative process of creating photographs on glass – known as svetlopis – placed Carniola and Kranj on the global map of photography in the 19th century. This spirit of innovation continues to echo in today’s festival, which connects past and present, creating a platform for reflection, dialogue and creative expression. This year’s edition demonstrates the power of photography to illuminate difficult truths, to question dominant narratives, and to inspire meaningful dialogue – creating space for stories that must be seen and heard.

Among this year’s highlights is Letters from Gaza, a powerful exhibition by Kranj-born photographer Matic Zorman, displayed in front of Prešeren Theatre on the main square. In three chapters, it portrays resilience, loss, and enduring humanity amid ongoing violence and dehumanisation. The exhibition is accompanied by texts by Erik Valenčič and Jaber M. R. Elmasry.

The opening week (27–30 August) will feature guided tours with photographers, artist talks and behind-the-scenes insights into their creative processes. Evening screenings will light up the medieval streets under the stars, while the interactive event A World Turned Upside Down will invite all generations – especially children – to discover the basics of photography through the playful use of a cardboard pinhole camera.

With its unique setting, international scope, and powerful themes, Kranj Foto Fest reinforces Slovenia’s role on the global photography map, proving that the medium is as vital for storytelling and connection today as it was at its very beginnings in Kranj.

Source: Kranj Foto Fest

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