17/09/2012 - The Ensor awards have celebrated the diversity of Flemish films over the last year, with winners including Time of My Life, The Invader, and Hasta la vista.

A jury of 11 professionals brought together at the Ostende Film Festival to award the Ensor awards (formerly the Vlaamse Filmprijzen, Flemish film awards) last Friday made its decision. Or rather didn't, as the winners list was very eclectic, handing out awards to all different potential laureates. While last year Bullhead [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bart Van Langendonck
interview: Michaël R. Roskam
film profile] predictably swept up all major awards, things were much more balanced out this year.

As nominations led to predict, Frank Van Mechelen's Groenten uit Balen won Best Actress for Evelien Bosmans et Tiny Bertels. The film also won Lucas van den Eynde an Ensor for Best Supporting Actor. The triple win highlights a great choice of actors for the film.

The Invador [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile], a bitter, nocturnal but luminous film, had topped the nominations, despite being somewhat of an outsider. The film has now not only won three "technical awards" (Best Soundtrack, Best Cinematography, and Best Costumes), but also Best Director for Nicolas Provost. The film also won the Industry Award, awarded by the profession itself.

As for the statuette for Best Belgian Co-production (i.e. between the north and the south of the country), it went to Joachim Lafosse for Our Children [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile]. It was therefore a good weekend for these films' producers Versus and Prime Time, especially as the latter had also just heard that Lafosse's film was to represent Belgium at the Oscars.

Swooni left with the award for Best Production Design.

Finally, there were two other serious contenders, both critical and public successes. Hasta la vista [+see also:
trailer
interview: Geoffrey Enthoven
film profile] won Best Newcomer for its brilliant young actor, Tom Audenaert, and Best Screenplay for Pierre De Clercq. As for Nic Balthazar's Time of My Life [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the film won the award for Best Actor, but not for the actor everyone might have expected (Koen De Graeve, who was awarded two years ago for The Misfortunates [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Felix van Groeningen
film profile]) as it went to Geert van Rampelberg. Finally, Time of My Life walked away with the greatest statuette of them all, Best Film.

Best Film:
Time of My Life

Best Director:
Nicolas Provost (The Invader)

Best Screenplay:
Pierre De Clercq (Hasta La Vista! )

Best Cinematography:
Frank van den Eeden (The Invader)

Best Soundtrack:
Sacha en Evgueni Galperine (The Invader)

Best Actor:
Geert Van Rampelberg (Time of My Life)

Best Supporting Actor:
Lucas Van den Eynde (Groenten uit Balen)

Best Actress:
Evelien Bosmans (Groenten uit Balen)

Best Supporting Actress:
Tiny Bertels (Groenten uit Balen)

Best Newcomer:
Tom Audenaert (Hasta La Vista! )

Best Editor:
Philippe Ravoet (Tot Altijd)

Best Costume Design:
Nathalie Leborgne (The Invader)

Best Production Design:
Hubert Pouille (Swooni)

Best Belgian Co-production:
Our Children (Joachim Lafosse)

(Translated from French)