Paris Gold Medal Winner at PISPA 2025

I am most pleased to announce that the jurors of the Paris International Street Photography Awards (PISPA) selected my photo series for the Gold Medal (1st prize) in the category Street Social / Documentary Issues. The series documents the Pilgrimage of the Travellers in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in May 2025.

Pilgrim holding up the Holy Bible to honour Saint Sara, the saint of the Gitano Travellers' community.

Each spring, thousands of Gitanos and Travellers — part of Europe’s diverse Roma and itinerant communities — gather in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in the South of France, to honour Saint Sara, their Black Saint. For people often living on society’s margins, this annual gathering is more than a religious celebration — it is a moment of recognition, unity, and pride. The procession begins inside the church, then moves through the packed streets and finally into the sea, accompanied by horses, music, dance, and prayers in a vibrant yet deeply spiritual atmosphere.

Gitano pilgrim's hands covered in gold jewellery. The belt buckle shows the symbol of the city Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in the South of France.

Photographed during the 2025 pilgrimage, this series reflects the energy and humanity that unfold within the crowds: the warmth and openness of the Travellers, the colours of their proud and nostalgic styles, the devotion of worshippers pressed together in candle-lit spaces, and the joy of talented musicians. Rather than documenting events step by step, these images aim to convey what it felt like to be carried along by the movement, the rhythm, and the shared spirit of celebration.

Visitors filming the arrival of Saint Sara in the Church Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer des Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, trying to touch her.

To view the whole series, go to the PISPA website: https://www.streetphotoawards.art/site/winners-gallery/spa-2025/series/street-social-issues/gold-medal

Award announcement on 25.12.2025.