Denis Delestrac
Denis Delestrac is a French director and producer. He is best known for creating feature-length investigative documentaries. His films focus on the ecological, social, and political impacts of natural resources. His film Sand Wars received international attention and influenced the United Nations Environmental Program to write a report on sand scarcity in 2019.[1]
Denis Delestrac | |
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Denis Delestrac in 2005 | |
Born | Denis G. Delestrac August 14, 1968 |
Occupation | Film director |
Website | http://www.denisdelestrac.com |
He has won over 30 international prizes and became a member of the European Film Academy in 2017.[2]
Career
Denis Delestrac graduated from the Toulouse Law School and obtained a Master in Journalism at the University of Dallas. He began working as a photojournalist, later as a writer, in the United States covering the South Central LA riots, the Waco siege and the 1992 presidential elections.
Denis Delestrac made his debut in non-fiction filmmaking in 2001. In addition to his TV and theatrical non-fiction works, Delestrac directs branded content films for brands or events through his production company Intrepido Films.[3]
Selected filmography
Film | Year | Position | Description |
---|---|---|---|
The Shadow
of Gold |
2018 | Director, co-writer | Two-part documentary investigating the social and environmental impact of gold mining. |
Captain's Dream | 2018 | Director, writer and producer | The Russian artist and boat captain, Alexander Ponomarev creates the first Biennale in Antarctica. |
Freightened | 2016 | Director, writer | An investigation which reveals the mechanics and perils of freight shipment industry. |
Banking Nature | 2014 | Director, writer with Sandrine Feydel | A documentary that looks at the growing movement to monetize the natural world and turning endangered species into instruments of profit. |
Sand Wars | 2013 | Director, writer and associate producer | Sand Wars is a docu-thriller about the scarcity of sand due to mining the resource for making concrete. |
Pax Americana | 2010 | Director, writer and associate producer | Pax Americana examines the origins and today's reality of the militarization of space. |
Mystery of the Nile | 2005 | Assistant director | IMAX film documenting the first successful expedition to navigate the entire length of the Nile from source to sea. |
Adventure of the Nile | 2005 | Assistant director | A documentary film about the first expedition to have succeeded in descending the Nile. |
The Nomad Experience | 2006 | Assistant director | A documentary reflection about spirituality and human values. |
Human Rights | 2003 | Scriptwriter | A documentary film about how armed conflicts affect civilian communities and force displacement. |
The Face of the Human Condition | 2003 | Scriptwriter | A portrait of National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. |
Recovering the Past | 2003 | Scriptwriter | A documentary film about heritage conservation in Sudan with contemporary archaeologist Charles Bonnet. |
The Nomad Spirit | 2003 | Scriptwriter | A look at how market economy has transformed the Mongolian society. |
The Mission to Educate | 2003 | Scriptwriter | The educative, healthcare and economic challenges faced by the Tuareg and Wodaabe tribes of the Ténéré Desert. |
Selected awards
- Best film – Inspiration Category – EKO Film 2013
- Gold Panda for Best Nature & Environment Protection Award – Sishuan TV Festival 2013
- Golden Sun – Barcelona Environmental Film Festival 2013
- Japan Prize NHK 2013 – 2nd Prize
- Greenpeace Prize – Festival du Film Vert 2014
- Best film – San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival 2014
- Finalist – Monte Carlo 33rd International URTI Grand Prix for Author's Documentary
- Rockie Award – Banff World Media Festival 2014
- Prix Gémeaux 2014
- Winner – Wild and Scenic Film Festival 2015
- Best Film – Green Me Film Festival 2015
- Winner: "Impact Prize" – FIGRA 2015
- Best Environmental Film – Cayman International Film Festival 2015
- Winner of the Expo Milano Prize 2015
- Best Full Length Documentary – 8th Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Fest 2015
- Award of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences – Life Sciences Film Festival Prague
- Grand Prize of the City of Innsbruck 2015
- Best International Feature Award – Planet in Focus – Toronto 2015
- Golden Sun – FICMA 2015
- Special Prize – "Emys Foundation" 2015
- Greenpeace Prize – Festival du Film vert de Genève 2016
- Best Film – Another Way Film Festival 2016
- Grands Prix – Ecrans Publics 2016
- Winner – Deauville Green Awards 2016
- Finalist – DIG Awards 2016
- Winner – Deauville Green Awards 2018
- Winner – 3rd place On Art Film Festival 2018
Professional affiliations
- Member of the European Film Academy
- Member of the International Federation of Journalists
- Founding member of The Barcelona International Documentary Club[4]
- Membre Sociétaire Stagiaire du collège audiovisuel de la Société Civile des Auteurs Multimédia
References
- United Nations Environmental Program. "Sand and Sustainability: Finding new solutions for environmental governance of global sand resources" (PDF). UN Environment Programme. UN Environment Programme. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- The European Film Academy. "Member Profiles". EFA. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- Intrepido Films. "Production Company". Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- The Barcelona Documentary Club. "Founding Members". Retrieved 9 March 2020.