François Debré facts for kids

François Debré (born April 3, 1942 – died September 14, 2020) was a French writer and journalist. He was known for his exciting reports from around the world. In 1977, he won the famous Albert Londres Prize for his writing. He was also a member of the Société des gens de lettres, a group for writers.

About François Debré's Life

François Debré was the second son of Michel Debré, who was once the Prime Minister of France. His mother was Anne-Marie Lemaresquier. François had three brothers: Vincent, Jean-Louis, and Bernard. His grandfather was Robert Debré and his uncle was Olivier Debré.

Early Career and Reporting

After studying law and eastern languages, François Debré started working for a magazine called Afrique contemporaine in 1966. By 1968, he became a freelance journalist. This meant he worked for different news organizations.

From 1968 to 1977, he traveled the world to report on many important events. He covered the Nigerian Civil War in Biafra for Le Monde newspaper. He also reported from Cambodia and Vietnam for magazines like L'Obs and Le Point. In 1968, he won an award called the Prix de la critique indépendante for his writing about the Nigerian Civil War.

A Talented Journalist

Many people thought François Debré was one of the best reporters of his time. In the early 1970s, he created many reports for French TV channels like TF1, Antenne 2, and France Régions 3. He reported from places like Chad, Ivory Coast, Uganda, and Pakistan.

In 1977, he joined TF1's foreign news team. He was a main reporter for the channel until 1985. He covered many big events, such as the Yom Kippur War and the start of the Solidarity movement in Poland. He also reported on the removal of Jean-Bédel Bokassa from power in the Central African Republic.

Winning the Albert Londres Prize

In 1977, François Debré won the prestigious Prix Albert-Londres. This award is one of the highest honors for French journalists. He won it for his important essay about the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, titled Cambodge, la révolution de la forêt.

Later, in 1988, he became a deputy editor-in-chief at Antenne 2, where he managed different TV shows.

Family Life and Passing

François Debré was married to Maylis Ybarnegaray. She was the daughter of Jean Ybarnégaray. They had two daughters. One daughter, Constance Debré, became a novelist. Their other daughter, Ondine, became a journalist for Le Monde newspaper.

François Debré passed away on September 14, 2020, in Montlouis-sur-Loire after a long illness. He was 78 years old. His death happened just one day after his brother Bernard also passed away.

Books and Films by François Debré

François Debré was a talented writer and also worked on films.

Feature Films He Worked On

• Éthiopie, les dernières années du Negus
• Le Petit Livre rouge
• Les Chinois de la diaspora
• La Remontée du Mekong
• Les Trottoirs de Manille
• La Quadrature des cercles
• Les Narcotiques anonymes

Screenplays He Wrote

• L'Amiral aux pieds nus
• La Ballade de Menardeau
• L'Homme de pouvoir
• Possession vaut titre

Books He Published

• La Vingt-et-unième Chinoise (1968)
• Biafra an II (1968)
• Premier crime (1975)
• Les Chinois de la diaspora (1976)
• Cambodge, la révolution de la forêt (1977)
• Le Livre des égarés (1979)
• Les Fêtes d'automne (1983)
• Trente ans avec sursis (1998)
• Le Livre des Égarés (2019)

Awards and Honors

François Debré received several awards for his excellent work:

• Prix de la critique indépendante for his book Biafra an II (1968)
• Prix Albert-Londres for his essay Cambodge, la révolution de la forêt (1977)
• Grand prix du festival international de Monte-Carlo for his film Les Trottoirs de Manille (1981)

See also

In Spanish: François Debré para niños