# Denis Delestrac

Denis Delestrac is a French director and producer who 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, influenced the United Nations Environmental Program to write a report on sand scarcity in 2019.
He has won over 40 international prizes and became a member of the European Film Academy in 2017.

## Career

Denis Delestrac graduated from the Toulouse Law School and obtained a Master's degree in Journalism at the University of Dallas. He began working as a photojournalist, and later as a writer in the United States, where he covered the 1992 Los Angeles 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.[1]

## Private life

Delestrac resides in Barcelona.

## Selected filmography

| Film | Year | Position | Description |
| McCurry: The Pursuit of Color | 2021 | Director, writer, producer | Documentary biopic about the photographer Steve McCurry |
| 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, 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, co-writer | 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, 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, 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 | Director, writer | A documentary film about the first expedition to have succeeded in descending the Nile. |
| The Nomad Experience | 2006 | 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 - 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
* Membre Sociétaire Stagiaire du collège audiovisuel de la Société Civile des Auteurs Multimédia