With over 25 years of experience in image and audiovisual production, Lilou Lemaire is an internationally recognized French director. Her visually captivating documentaries explore the sensitive intersection between the environment and human stories. Based in Paris, her work has been broadcast on prestigious platforms such as Netflix, Discovery Asia, France Télévision, Al Jazeera, and many more.
Beginning her career as a portrait photographer, Lilou honed a keen sense of natural light, composition, and aesthetics—skills that shine through in every project. She offers an intimate and authentic look into subjects often hidden from the public, excelling at revealing the lives of unsung heroes through stories filled with positive and optimistic messages.
Her career is marked by diverse and daring projects. Notably, she directed the documentary series L'âme des chefs for TF1 group, which delves into the intimacy and passion of France's top chefs. Committed to environmental protection and biodiversity, she launched the Trésors de Mer series in Mayotte and Réunion in 2015, and later directed the environmental and wildlife film Shuklaphanta, The Other Wild Nepal, which won Best Feature Film at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival in New York in 2017.
In Manaslu, The Fragile Kingdom of the Himalayas, Lilou highlights the dramatic effects of climate change and pollution in extreme environments, underscoring her dedication to critical global issues.
Her rigor and professionalism have also led to collaborations with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of the Interior. She has directed documentaries on the French Army’s chefs, Mission Covid —a film about the health crisis in a military hospital— and the first documentary focused on women soldiers, filmed at the heart of Operation Barkhane in Mali. At the end of 2022, she delivered a compelling film on a specialized gendarmerie unit combating domestic sexual violence in rural areas, which premiered at the Ministry of the Interior.
Between 2021 and 2023, Lilou led an international team to produce the first wildlife documentary series shot in Saudi Arabia in 4K Dolby Vision & Atmos. With cinematography by Gavin Thurston—renowned for his work with the BBC on series like Planet Earth—the series HORIZON premiered on Netflix in January 2024. The project was critically acclaimed, winning Best Saudi Environment Documentary at the 10th Saudi Film Festival—often regarded as the equivalent of the Césars in the Middle East—and earning a prestigious Jury Golden Palm nomination.
Among her recent projects, After the Fire was broadcast on France Télévision at the end of 2024, while Tell the Future That We Are Coming! is scheduled for spring release. Additionally, a documentary on the Royal Reserve of Imam Turki bin Abdullah, filmed in northern Saudi Arabia, will air in 2025. For 2025 and 2026, Lilou is preparing several ambitious international documentary projects, reaffirming her ability to continuously push the boundaries of audiovisual creation.
Represented by Hugo Hayat, Lilou Lemaire continues to bring unique stories to life, combining aesthetics, commitment, and passion while shedding new light on realities that are often overlooked.
