Mathieu Le Lay is a film director, director of photography, cinematographer, author, editor and producer based in the French Alps.
After he graduated in Wildlife Conservation at the University of Salford (UK), his insatiable love for nature, cinema and wildlife led him to one year study at IFFCAM, the French wildlife film school.
Since 2008, his films tell genuine stories of the interaction between humans and nature, inspiring people to connect with our natural world.
Beyond the use of natural lights to create evocative atmospheres, he has developed creative and technical skills to shoot documentary films, in some of the most remote and harshest environments of the planet.
His biggest priviledge as an author is being to work on subjects that fascinate him, and drive him to bring emotional and visual depth to his films.
Mathieu is currently developing his first short fiction as he aspires to explore narrative filmmaking in the near future.
Filming on a spectacular and challenging peak, venturing into an engaged and rough expedition, tracking endangered species in the wilderness, seeking for spiritual traditions, and meeting the last inhabitants of desert areas, will always fascinate and excite him most.
Mathieu is available as a Director, Director of Photography and Cinematographer with experience across multiple genres from documentaries, to corporate films and commercials.
He can be available for various events from screenings in theaters and festivals to seminars and large venue talks.
Some of Mathieu's most iconic documentary films include:
"In the Starlight" screened at 43rd Banff Mountain Film Festival and many festivals from the International Alliance for Mountain Film, which documents the journey of Canadian-based astrophotographer Paul Zizka;
"West Empire" selected at the 56th Krakow Film Festival and Odense Film Festival, Denmark's International, two Oscar-qualifying film festivals.
His work was also curated several times as Vimeo Staff Picks on the Vimeo platform that helped him to grow as an artist.
As a Sony Pro Ambassador, Mathieu currently owns a Sony PXW-FX9 and α7S III with a wide range of Sony lenses and has experience with most of the professional cameras on the market.
MATHIEU LE LAY
AUTHOR & DIRECTOR
Corridors Sauvages - Vivre avec les ours des Carpates - 43'
Arte
ZED - 2022
Drivers of Change - 107'
Currently in production
Mathieu Le Lay Productions
Yukon, Un Rêve Blanc - 52'
Arte , Ushuaïa TV
Bonne Pioche Télévision , Arte France - 2021
Félins Noir sur Blanc - 52'
Ushuaïa TV , TF1
Bonne Pioche Télévision , Canal Azul Filmes , Ushuaïa TV - 2021
Amintiri din Copilărie - 10' 12"
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2018
The Sun Within - 3' 4"
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2018
Echo of the Wild - 5' 13"
Vimeo Staff Pick
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2018
In the Starlight - 52'
Ushuaïa TV , Canal Off (Brazil) , RSI (Switzerland) , Servus TV (Austria) , Curta TV (Brazil) , Planète+ (Germany) , Red Bull Media House (Germany) , CCTV9 (China) , Air Canada , West Jet
Camera Lucida Productions , Mathieu Le Lay Productions , Ushuaïa TV - 2018
A Sense of Wonder - 3' 13"
Vimeo Staff Pick - Best of the Month
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2017
Indlandsis - 7' 4"
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2016
West Empire - 26'
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2015
Walk the Ridge - 3' 24"
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2015
Kumano - 5'
Vimeo Staff Pick
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2015
Soare în Inima - 9' 12"
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2014
American Loneliness - 52'
Montagne TV , Ushuaïa TV
Mona Lisa Production , Montagne TV , Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2014
Keep Exploring - 9' 21"
Vimeo Staff Pick
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2014
La Quête d'Inspiration - 52'
Montagne TV , Ushuaïa TV , TV5 Monde , Canal Off (Brazil)
Mona Lisa Production , Montagne TV , Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2012
Des Gypaètes et des Hommes - 52'
Montagne TV , Ushuaïa TV , Servus TV (Austria) , Télé-Québec (Canada) , EBS (South Korea)
Mona Lisa Production , Association IFFCAM , Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2011
Demain, c'est loin… - 26'
Animaux
Co-director - Association IFFCAM - 2009
Les Ailes du Marais - 30'
IFFCAM - Institut Francophone de Formation au Cinéma Animalier - 2008
CAMERA OPERATOR - IMAGE & SOUND
L'Arbre qui Cache la Forêt - Le chêne sessile, l'arbre de vie de la forêt de feuillus - 43'
Arte
Cinétévé - 2023
Corridors Sauvages - Vivre avec les vautours Gypaètes - 43'
Arte
ZED - 2022
Faut Pas Rêver - Les Robinsons de la Forêt - 14'
France 3
What's Up Productions , France Télévisions - 2019
Les Promesses du Chanvre - 52'
France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine
What's Up Productions , France Télévisions - 2019
Faut Pas Rêver - Mario Colonel: L'Oeil de la Montagne - 20'
France 3
What's Up Productions - 2018
L'Hiver aux Saisies - 1' 30"
Thuria Agency - 2016
Classes de Glace - 4' 19"
Pinkanova Agency - 2016
Médecines d'Ailleurs - Roumanie, le Miracle des Abeilles - 26'
Arte
Bonne Pioche Télévision - 2015
Un Matin sur Terre - La Zambie: Au Coeur de la Savane - 43'
Arte
Bonne Pioche Télévision , Arte France - 2013
La France du Bout du Monde - Episodes Grand Sud-Est & Languedoc - Cadreur-Droniste - 52'
France 5 , Ushuaïa TV , TV5 Monde
Lato Sensu Productions , MC4 Productions - 2013
La Grande Odyssée Savoie Mont Blanc - 60'
8 Mont-Blanc , BFM TV
8 Mont-Blanc - 2012
La France Sauvage - L'Île-de-France, une Nature Insoupçonnée - 52'
Arte
Gedeon Programmes , Arte France - 2010
COMMISSIONS
Areas of Major Sensitivity - 2' 50"
Asters - Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2022
For a better cohabitation between climbers and vultures - 4' 30"
Asters - Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2022
Divine - 3'
Sony Professional Europe
Character - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2022
FX9 V3 First Impressions - 3' 26"
Sony Professional Europe
Character & Footage - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2022
Perpetual Planet - 1' 30"
Rolex
Evoke Films - 2021
Far & Away - 3' 36"
Far & Away - Kickstarter Video
Director, Second camera - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2019
Rope Up - 2' 47"
Défense Mobilité
Director, Camera operator, Editor - Pinkanova Agency - 2019
No Signal, An Arctic Journey - 9' 6"
Forclaz
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - 16 Parallèle Nord Productions - 2019
Polar Expedition in Finland - 1' 20"
Forclaz
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - 16 Parallèle Nord Productions - 2019
Ball Watch - 30"
Engineer III StarLight , Navigator World Time Chronograph , Fireman Night Train III
Footage Licensing - Ball Watch Company SA - 2018
Free Flyers - Pierre Naville - 3' 45"
Asters - Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2018
Eyes Focused - Jérémie Villet - 3' 43"
Asters - Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2018
Ensemble - 3' 20"
Asters - Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie, RTE & Enedis
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2017
Chroniques d'en Haut - Un Autre Envol - 26'
France 3
Footage licensing - Mona Lisa Production - 2017
TV Commercial Ushuaia Beauté - 25"
Ushuaia Beauté
Director - When We Were Kids , Publicis Agency - 2017
Japanese Rituals - 45'
Ushuaia Beauté
Réalisateur, Second camera - When We Were Kids - 2017
LG Mobile - French Alps - 1'
LG Mobile Global
Character - Newcom Pr Agency - 2016
Alta Badia - Explore Your Way - 1' 31"
Alta Badia Tourism Office
Director, Cinematographer, Editor - Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2016
Influential - Where Art Meets Creativity - 12' 45"
Telus - Telus Storyhive
Director, Cinematographer - Pink Buffalo Films - 2016
Fall in the Desert - 4'
Stay & Wander
Co-director, Cinematographer, Editor - 2016
Alive in Alaska - 7' 57"
Stay & Wander
Co-director, Cinematographer, Editor - 2016
Between Earth & Sky - 4' 22"
Main character - Beanpole Productions - 2016
Passing Time - 1'
National Geographic ,
Image licensing - Little Monster - 2015
Stillness Arises - 4' 44"
Vimeo Staff Pick
Main character - Beanpole Productions - 2014
First Snowfalls in Ontario - 2' 48"
Destination Canada
Fall Europe Campaign - 2014
Ecrins de Vie - 50'
Écrins National Park
Co-director - 2013
Passe-moi les Jumelles - Le Tour du Cervin: Au Bord du Précipice - 26'
RTS , France 5 , TV5 Monde
RTS , Point Prod , RSI Diffusion - 2012
Gypaètes Airlines - 4' 20"
Asters - Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Haute-Savoie
Mathieu Le Lay Productions - 2012
Des Racines et des Ailes - Passion Patrimoine: Un Balcon sur les Alpes - 118'
France 3
Image licensing & extras - Eclectic Production - 2012
