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AWARDS Belgium

The Dardenne brothers are finally prophets in their own land

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- The fifth Magritte Awards ceremony for Belgian cinema was held on Saturday night, (finally) crowning the Dardenne brothers for Two Days, One Night

The Dardenne brothers are finally prophets in their own land
Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, with their Magritte

The Belgian film industry, whose professionals assembled on Saturday night for the Magritte Awards for Belgian cinema, has finally, one might say, rewarded the work of Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, by handing them the Best Director and Best Film Awards for Two Days, One Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
film profile
]
.

In 2012, the brothers walked away virtually empty-handed for The Kid with a Bike [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
film profile
]
, which was snubbed by the Académie Delvaux in favour of The Giants [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Bouli Lanners
film profile
]
by Bouli Lanners. It is true that no one is a prophet in their own land, but the fact that the Dardenne brothers, who are widely acclaimed the world over and are members of that highly exclusive club of directors who have received two Palmes d’Or, were overlooked for the – at that time newly created – Magritte had a distinctly bitter aftertaste. This mistake has been rectified, in a way, especially seeing as the Magritte for Best Actor was handed to Fabrizio Rongione for Two Days, One Night. This is the first award for the actor who rose to fame in the Dardenne brothers’ Rosetta, in which he shared the screen with another newcomer, Emilie Dequenne, who meanwhile received the Magritte for Best Actress for her performance in Not My Type [+see also:
trailer
interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile
]
. And Jérémie Rénier, who made his debut in La Promesse and has been a loyal partner of the Dardennes’ ever since, snagged the Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in Bonello’s Saint Laurent [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Bertrand Bonello
film profile
]
. These three acting prizes also highlight the directors’ incredible talent-scouting ability. In their capacity as co-producers, with their Les Films du Fleuve, the Dardennes also saw fresh additions to their bulging trophy cabinet with the three awards received by Stijn Coninx’s Marina [+see also:
trailer
interview: Cristiano Bortone
film profile
]
(Best Production Design, Best Costumes and Best Flemish Film).

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Among the other winners, we should highlight the Best Screenplay Award given to Lucas Belvaux for Not My Type (he has received it before, in 2013, for 38 Witnesses [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
), as well as the Best Cinematography Award bagged by Manu Dacosse for his outstanding work on Cattet and Forzani’s unusual film, The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
. Lastly, the Académie Delvaux followed in the footsteps of the French Academy of Film Arts and Techniques by presenting the Best Male Newcomer Award to Marc Zinga for Scouting for Zebras [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
. Zinga is also in the running for the César in the same category for his role in Qu’Allah bénisse la France [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, and he has just been confirmed to play one of the villains in Spectre, the upcoming James Bond film. 

Full awards list

BEST FILM
Two Days, One Night, by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

BEST DIRECTOR
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, for Two Days, One Night

BEST FLEMISH FILM
Marina, by Stijn Coninx

BEST DEBUT FILM (audience-awarded Magritte)
I’ll Bury You [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, by Sylvestre Sbille

BEST SCREENPLAY
Lucas Belvaux, for Not My Type

BEST ACTOR
Fabrizio Rongione, for Two Days, One Night

BEST ACTRESS
Emilie Dequenne, for Not My Type

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jérémie Renier, for Saint Laurent

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lubna Azabal, for La Marche [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nabil Ben Yadir
film profile
]

BEST FEMALE NEWCOMER
Ambre Grouwels, for Baby Balloon [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

BEST MALE NEWCOMER
Marc Zinga, for Scouting for Zebras

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Hubert Pouille, for Marina

BEST COSTUMES
Catherine Marchand, for Marina

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Manu Dacosse, for The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears

BEST SOUND
Henri Morelle and Luc Thomas, for Not My Type

BEST EDITING
Damien Keyeux, for La Marche

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Soldout for Puppy Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]

BEST SHORT FILM
La Bûche de Noël, by Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar

BEST DOCUMENTARY
When I Will Be a Dictator [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, by Yaël André

HONORARY MAGRITTE AWARD
Pierre Richard

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(Translated from French)

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