Magritte du Cinéma 2022: the nominations are revealed!

A refreshing renewal after two difficult years 2020 and 2021 for Belgian cinema in particular and cinema in general, with the cessation of filming following the first confinement and then the extended closure of cinemas, for more than 7 months in a row. winter to last spring in Belgium.

Thus Une vie démente, the first feature film by Raphaël Balboni and Ann Sirot, garnered no less than 12 nominations, thus equaling the record for the Giants in 2013! The duo is nevertheless far from being a novice at the Magritte du Cinéma, since they have already been nominated three times in the short film category, from which they also won in 2018 for With Thelma.

Une vie démente is thus nominated in the “queen” categories (Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay), but also largely in the “technical” categories (sound, sets, costumes, editing). As for its casting, it shines in the different categories. Jo Deseure and Lucie Debay are both nominated for the Magritte for Best Actress, Jean Le Peltier for Best Actor, and Gilles Remiche for Best Supporting Actor.

It should be noted that this is the first nomination for the production company Hélicotronc in the Best Film category, after having distinguished itself in other categories, in particular in short fiction, Magritte which it won these five (!) years, and for which she is again in the running this year with two films. A great feat for Helicotronc and this first feature film made with the help of light productions from the Center du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

The other widely nominated film (with 10 nominations) for this 11th edition is also a first feature film, that of Laura Wandel, Un monde. The young Belgian filmmaker had also already been nominated for the Magritte du Cinéma in 2015 with her short film Les Corps Etrangers.

Its passage to the feature propels it directly into the big leagues, since Un monde was selected last July at the Cannes Film Festival, in the Un certain regard section, for which it also won the Fipresci Prize (international press prize) . There too, the film is nominated in the Best Film, Best Direction and Best Screenplay categories, as well as for Best Image, Best Sound, Best Editing. The film is also in the running for the Oscars.

On the casting side, the film is carried with astonishing intensity by two young children, who are logically found in the hopeful categories: Maya Vanderbeque for Best Female Hope, and Günter Duret for Best Male Hope. It should also be noted that the Flemish actress Laura Verlinden is in the running for the Magritte for Best Supporting Actress.

As with Helicotronc, this is the first nomination in this category for the production, Dragon Films.

The 3 other films in the running for the Magritte for Best Film are carried by seasoned authors, who have already passed the Magritte du Cinéma.

Thus Adoration, Fabrice du Welz’s sixth feature film, has six nominations, for Best Film therefore, but also for Best Direction, in particular. This is the second time that the filmmaker has been nominated in this category, after Alleluia in 2016. Note also that the film is worth a sixth nomination to cinematographer Manu Dacosse, already three times awarded, including in 2016 for Alleluia, precisely.

For Benoît Poelvoorde, this will be the seventh nomination, this time in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. A true revelation of the film, the young actress from Mouscronnoise Fantine Harduin will be in the running for the Magritte for Best Female Hope, which she was already seeking in 2018 for Happy End by Michael Haneke.

Joachim Lafosse will also be in the running for Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay for the third time, after Élève Libre in 2011, À perder la raison in 2013 (for which he won Best Film and Best Director) and The Economy of Couples in 2017.

Les Intranquilles, played by Leïla Bekhti and Damien Bonnard, took part in the Official Selection Competition at the Cannes Film Festival in July. A great success for Stenola Productions, for which this is the first collaboration with the director, and which also receives its first nomination in the Best Film category.

Finally, Filles de joie by Frédéric Fonteyne and Anne Paulicevich will also take part in the competition for Best Film (thus marking the tenth participation in this category for Versus Production, already 4 times awarded!), as well as for Best Screenplay, which was moreover, already returned to Anne Paulicevich in 2014 for Tango Libre, co-written with Philippe Blasband.

It should be noted in passing that Titane by Julia Ducournau, Palme d’Or at the last Cannes Film Festival, and produced in Belgium by Frakas Production, totaled 5 nominations, in the category Best foreign film in co-production of course, but also for the many Belgian talents who took part in the success of the film.

As for the actresses, as we said, we will find Lucie Debay and Jo Deseure, the heroines of Une vie démente, which will face two regulars in the category. Lubna Azabal is nominated for Adam by Mariam Touzani. This is her sixth nomination for the actress, who has already won 3 Magritte awards, including Best Actress twice for Incendies in 2012 and Killers in 2019. Virginie Efira, meanwhile, won in 2017 for Victoria in this same category, is in the running for Adieu les cons by Albert Dupontel.

Among the men, in addition to Jean Le Peltier for Une vie démente, we will find Arieh Worthalter, in the running for Serre-moi fort by Mathieu Amalric. The actor arrives with a solid record at the Magritte, since he has already won two Best Actor in a Supporting Role awards for Girl in 2019 and Duelles in 2020. Often nominated, Bouli Lanners had never received the Magritte for Best actor, until last year when he won it for his magnificent performance in C’est ça l’amour. He is in the running this year for This music does not play for anyone. Finally, we will also find in this category Jérémie Renier, for his role in Slalom, already winner of two Magritte for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (for Potiche in 2012 and Saint Laurent in 2015), but never yet awarded in this category.

All the nominations, including in the documentary and short film categories, can be found here.

The 11th Magritte du Cinéma Ceremony will be held on February 12. The universe of Magritte du Cinéma will adapt to current special conditions. The precise modalities of this edition will be the subject of a communication at the beginning of February.