After “skipping” a year on account of Covid, the Magritte Film Awards for Francophone Belgian films returned for one of its strongest editions, selecting a whopping 22 Belgian fiction feature films in competition (versus a dozen or so in previous years). Two titles were light years ahead in terms of nominations: Madly in Life [+lee también:
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entrevista: Raphaël Balboni y Ann Sirot
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entrevista: Laura Wandel
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entrevista: Joachim Lafosse
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entrevista: Fabrice du Welz
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In the end, Madly in Life and Playground each walked away with a staggering 7 prizes, showing just how torn viewers were between the two works, and perhaps how big an appetite the members of the André Delvaux Academy truly have for new faces – even though the Academy has only been around since 2011. Both films are 100% Belgian productions, which is a rare thing in Francophone Belgium, and something very special for their respective production companies Hélicotronc and Dragons Films.

It was Madly in Life by Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni which won the "supreme" prize of Best Film, alongside trophies for Best Screenplay, Best Set Design and Best Costumes, and three acting awards which emphasise the fundamental role played by the cast in the project’s success: the Best Actress award for the rare and priceless Jo Deseure, Best Actor for Jean Le Peltier, and Best Supporting Actor for Gilles Remiche.

The other major winner of the evening was fresh-faced filmmaker Laura Wandel. Her first feature was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize within the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section last year, as well as earning itself countless other trophies at festivals unfolding all around the world. It was also among the 15 finalists for the Best International Film Oscar. Playground ultimately walked away with the Magritte for Best First Film, Best Direction, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Supporting Actress, Best Female Newcomer and Best Male Newcomer.

Only two Magrittes remained for the other fiction feature films in the line-up: that for Best Music was awarded to Vincent Cahay in recognition of his wonderful partnership with Fabrice du Welz for Adoration, while that for Best Photography went to Ruben Impens for his work on Titane [+lee también:
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entrevista: Julia Ducournau, Vincent L…
ficha de la película], which also won the award for Best International Co-Production. This is the second Magritte bagged by Julia Ducournau after Raw [+lee también:
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entrevista: Julia Ducournau
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The full list of award-winners is as follows:

Best Film
Madly in Life [+lee también:
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entrevista: Raphaël Balboni y Ann Sirot
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Best First Film
Playground [+lee también:
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entrevista: Laura Wandel
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Best Director
Laura Wandel - Playground

Best Actress
Jo Deseure – Madly in Life

Best Actor
Jean Le Peltier – Madly in Life

Best Supporting Actress
Laura Verlinden - Playground

Best Supporting Actor
Gilles Remiche – Madly in Life

Best Female Newcomer
Maya Vanderbeque - Playground

Best Male Newcomer
Günter Duret - Playground

Best Original or Adapted Screenplay
Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni – Madly in Life

Best Flemish Film
La Civil [+lee también:
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entrevista: Teodora Ana Mihai
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Best International Co-Production
Titane [+lee también:
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entrevista: Julia Ducournau, Vincent L…
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Best Documentary
Petit Samedi [+lee también:
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entrevista: Paloma Sermon Daï
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Best Photography
Ruben Impens - Titane

Best Sound
Mathieu Cox, Corinne Dubien, Thomas Grimm-Landsberg, David Vranken - Playground

Best Set Design
Lisa Etienne – Madly in Life

Best Costumes
Frédérick Denis – Madly in Life

Best Original Music
Vincent Cahay - Adoration [+lee también:
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entrevista: Fabrice du Welz
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Best Editing
Nicolas Rumpl - Playground

Best Fiction Short
Sprötch - Xavier Seron

Best Animated Short
On est pas près d’être des super-héros - Lia Bertels

Best Documentary Short
Mother’s - Hippolyte Leibovici

Honorary Magritte
Marion Hänsel