Producer Stéphane Strano, president of the La Rochelle audiovisual fiction festival died on Saturday August 16, 2025, at the age of 54, the festival announced.
“Stéphane worked tirelessly to defend French and French-speaking fiction and make it shine with the greatest number,” said the festival in a press release, which Stéphane Strano has been chaired since 2015. He transformed this event into an unmissable audiovisual school year meeting made the event a showcase for French and French-speaking creation, a meeting space between creators, producers, While instilling a festive and friendly atmosphere.
“The benevolent soul, the attentive look, the gathering energy”
“He was not only the president of our festival, he was the benevolent soul, the attentive look, the unifying energy,” said the official statement of the festival.
According to a distinct press release from the France Télévisions public group, the producer “died from a long illness”. Former program advisor to the fiction of France 2, the channel adds that the producer was “at the origin of many successes on the antennas of the public service, such as” disturbing disappearance “. »»
“The disappearance of Stéphane Strano is a huge loss for French audiovisual creation,” said Rachida Dati, on X. “President of the festival of fiction for almost 10 years, he devoted his life to defending French -speaking fiction. My thoughts go to his family and relatives the Minister of Culture, “added the Minister of Culture.