Françoise Huguier (b.1942) is a French photographer and documentary photographer

First a passionate traveller, Françoise Huguier (b.1942) fells in love with Africa, which she began to cut accros. The result, "Sur les traces de l'Afrique fantôme" (On Michel Leiris' footsteps), was published in 1990 at Éditions Maeght. This work made her distinguished as an outdoor guest of Villa Médicis.

In 1991, she discovers and contribues to popularize the works of both photographers Seydou Keita and Malick Sidibé (winner of the International Photography Price). In 1994, she organizes the first Biennale de la photographie africaine (Bienial Exposition of African Photography) in Bamako.

In 1993, she is once again distinguished an outdoor guest at Villa Médicis, this time for her book : "En route pour Behring" (On the way to Behring), Éditions Maeght, the log of a solitary travel in Siberia. For this work, exposed in many festivals and art galleries, she received a prize at the World Press Photo the same year.

In 1998, la Maison Européenne de la Photographie, in Paris, exposes "À l'extrême" (To the Limit), a work in South-African Kwazulu-Natal that took her many years. In 1999, in continuity of her work on Africa, she publishes at Actes Sud "Secrètes" (Secret), a book in which she manages to get in touch with the secret intimacy of African women.

Her adventures in fashion begin with her photographies of "les défilés" (the fashion shows) that she follows live twice a year from backstages and workshops. These photos have appeared in the daily newspaper "Libération" for the first time in 1983. Artistic managers from such well known magazines as Vogue, the New York Times Magazine , ID, Women’s Wear, Marie-Claire and DS, then ordered her numerous fashion reportages.

She also shot advertises for Mugler, Lanvin, Lacroix, etc.

On this work on fashion from the 80's and 90's, she published "Sublimes" (Sublime) at the same editions (Actes Sud). From 2001, she begans to live in St Petersburg for long periods of time during which she explores the living in collective flats.The results of this work will appear at Actes Sud this year as a book untitled : "Kommounalki". She has been granted an allocation from the CNC (Centre national de la cinématographie) to make an indoor movie about this experience in one of these flats The film is called "Kommounalka", produced by Les Films d'Ici, and will appear on screen in 2008.

In 2004, she returns on her childhood footsteps in Cambodgia, where she was hostage of the Viêt Minh at the age of 8. Her book "J'avais huit ans" (I was 8 yeard old), published in 2005 at Actes Sud, tells this true story. The photos of this journey back are exposed the same year in Arles (Rencontres Photographiques d'Arles).

In 2007, Jean-Luc Monterosso, director of la Maison Européenne de la Photographie asks her to be part of the jury of the Mois de la Photo 2008.

En 2008, she is invited by Christian Lacroix, artistic manager of the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie d’Arles. An important exhibition of her works will be held on this event.

All her books have been matters of exhibition still travelling alla aroune the worl:
Paris- New York -Moscow- Seoul- Sao Paulo- Johannesburg- Lausanne - Berlin- London- Madrid.

Prizes

• 1993 Prix World Press Photo
• 1987 Prix des Rencontres internationales de la photographie d’Arles
• 1986 Prix KODAK

Filmography

• Journée ordinaire (Ordinary Day), a short movie for the collection “Scénarios sur la drogue” produced by Téléma (2000).
• Mission 2000, short movie produced by Téléma for the French Ministry of Culture (1999).
• C’est la vie (That's Life), short movie produced by Comme des Cinémas Productions & On Ward(1999).
• Lisbonne nuit (Lisbon, Night), short for France 3 (1985 ).

http://en.francoisehuguier.com