Photo: Steve Granitz © WireImage.com

Born in Mirande, France. After studying journalism and law in Paris, de Lestrade created his own TV news agency, Tribulations, in 1987. He directed and produced at Tribulations for five years and reported for European television. In 1992, he became a freelance director in order to specialise in making documentaries that scrutinize the mechanisms of society, mainly its taboos and its justice: Sexual crime ("Viols et Châtiments" (1993), "La cavale des innocents" (1995, TV), "L'inceste face à la justice" (1996)); approach of death ("La vie jusqu'au bout" (1998, TV); genocide in Rwanda and in Australia ["La justice des hommes" (2001, TV), "Une Australie blanche et pure" (1998, TV)]. Since 1995, de Lestade has been associated with the producer Denis Poncet, first of all within the company of the French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier, then within their own company Maha Productions. UN COUPABLE IDÉAL / MURDER ON A SUNDAY MORNING (2001), his ninth documentary feature film, won the Academy Award® for best documentary feature in 2002. Subsequent projects include "Soupçons" (2004, TV mini-series) and SUR TA JOUE ENNEMIE (2008).  Best Achievement in Documentary Features 2001: UN COUPABLE IDÉAL (MURDER ON A SUNDAY MORNING) - Producer (w. Denis Poncet) 1 nomination, 1 Award