Canon returns to Visa pour l’Image to champion outstanding photojournalism

Canon will honour the craft of documentary storytelling during the festival’s Pro Week (31 August – 5 September 2026), held in Perpignan in the south of France, by awarding two independent project grants, bringing together industry experts to encourage meaningful discussions and providing recourses for the professional community at the Canon Lounge.

Canon to recognise outstanding contributions to photojournalism with two grants

For 26 years, Canon and Visa pour l’Image have awarded at times career-defining project grants to female photojournalists pursuing a long-term documentary project, alongside the opportunity to showcase their work on the acclaimed Visa pour l’Image stage.

This year, the international jury has awarded Finnish photojournalist and Canon Ambassador Meeri Koutaniemi, for her 14-year documentation of female genital mutilation (FGM) and the grassroots activists working to end the practice. Spanning 14 countries, the project explores both the impact of FGM and the efforts of survivors and communities driving change from within, culminating in a return to Kenya to examine how activism and education can transform future generations.

Canon and Visa pour l'Image are also presenting the seventh Canon Video Grant to German-Mexican filmmaker Axel Javier Sulzbacher for Antes de ser Niño – Before Being a Child. Set in Michoacán, Mexico, the film follows a youth militia where children receive military-style training amid cartel violence, exploring the tension between protection, militarisation, and childhood through long-term observational filmmaking.

“Photojournalism has the power to make visible the realities that too often remain unseen. For more than two decades, the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant has supported women whose dedication, courage and empathy bring these stories to light. Meeri Koutaniemi's work exemplifies the profound role documentary storytellers play in bearing witness, amplifying underrepresented voices, and inspiring meaningful change.

Alongside photography, documentary filmmaking plays a vital role in helping us understand the world and the experiences of people whose stories might otherwise go untold. This year, the Canon Video Grant recognises the remarkable work of Axel Javier Sulzbacher, whose dedicated, long-term approach brings nuance and humanity to a complex and challenging subject,” says Ingrid Masachs, EMEA Marketing Director at Canon.

“We are proud to support photographers and videographers who devote years to telling stories that can shape understanding and help build a more informed and compassionate world.”

Canon to host a Photo Studio

As a special highlight this year, Canon will host a dedicated Photo Studio and offer visitors the opportunity to receive a professional headshot and live demonstration of Canon’s Authenticity Imaging System, which embeds secure, verifiable credentials into images in accordance with the C2PA standard.

Canon support at Visa pour l’Image

The Canon Lounge will showcase the strength of Canon's complete professional imaging offering, bringing together industry-leading cameras, lenses, professional print technology and software solutions that help protect image authenticity, and the unrivalled expertise of Canon Professional Services (CPS).

Throughout the festival, accredited photographers can benefit from complimentary check-and-clean services, hands-on access to the latest equipment, one-to-one advice from Canon product specialists, and a fine art print of their work. As the only imaging brand offering this full suite of products, software and services support, Canon is uniquely positioned to help professional photographers create, protect, and share their work with confidence.