These have been difficult and emotional days for many of us who are coming to terms with the news that Philippe Billard died on the weekend in a hospital in the south of France.
He’d been admitted on Friday.
Those who’d seen him recently said that Philippe was in failing health and feared that he might not have long to live.
But what a life he led.
His community of TV cameramen and Soundmen ( almost all men in those positions then) along with the editors0, producers, and correspondents who worked with him are all posting their tributes and remembrances. Philippe was much loved and admired. He was as elegant as he was skilled. He was far more than a talented photojournalist turned TV Cameraman. He was a complete journalist who read thoroughly Le Monde, spoke and read several languages, and once traded his trainers to me for a book I had about Lebanon.
He could point with pride to his lifetime body of work around the world covering international stories, many of them wars and conflicts. Yet it was his camerawork in Ethiopia with the CBC’s news team that will be forever remembered.
I wrote this about it when I was writing a letter of recommendation for him for a position in Qatar.
” Few of us who have been lifetime journalists can claim that our stories or pictures helped to change the world. Philippe Billard can do so. His video of the Ethiopian famine in 1984 is forever recorded in our memories. Decades later, I cannot view the music video (edited by Colin Dean )from his images and featured on Bob Geldof’s 1985 ” Live Aid ” concert, without tearing up. That video raised millions of pounds and helped spark the worldwide relief effort for Ethiopia’s famine victims. ”
Here is a link to that video.

https://youtu.be/9ns6142RZ5c?feature=shared

I also treasured my friendship with Philippe and his family. I send my love and condolences to Maria, Jean-Louis, Nathalie, and Sebastien.
RIP Philippe.

*Photo of Philippe posted by Nathalie Billard
The Cars – Drive (CBC Ethiopian Famine Film)
YOUTUBE.COM
The Cars – Drive (CBC Ethiopian Famine Film)
This video was created using footage from a heart-wrenching 1984 TV report by CBC‘s Brian Stewart and is set to the song ‘Drive‘ by The Cars.Live Aid was org…