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AWARDS Belgium

9 Flemish films to battle it out for the 2016 Ensors for Flemish cinema

by 

- The Ardennes, the debut film by Robin Pront, is at the head of the pack, closely followed by Felix Van Groeningen’s Belgica, and Black by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah

9 Flemish films to battle it out for the 2016 Ensors for Flemish cinema
The Ardennes by Robin Pront

As is the case every year, the Ensors ceremony will take place during the Ostend Film Festival, on Friday 16 September. Nineteen films had been shortlisted, but only nine will duke it out for the trophies. As expected, the majority of the nominations are split among three features: The Ardennes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robin Pront
film profile
]
by Robin Pront leads the pack with ten nods, Belgica [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Artemio Benki, Sylvie Leray
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
film profile
]
by Felix van Groeningen follows closely behind with seven, while hot on its heels is Black [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fal…
interview: Martha Canga Antonio
film profile
]
by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, with its six nominations. Logically, these three films have been nominated in the two main categories of Best Film and Best Director. Given that all three works are, to a great extent, propped up by their actors, most of whom are newcomers to the Belgian film scene, these titles also monopolise an impressive number of nominations for the awards intended for performers: Best Actor for Kevin Janssens, Best Actress for Veerle Baetens, Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Jan Bijvoet and Viviane de Muynck for The Ardennes, Best Actor for Stef Aerts and Tom Vermeir, Best Supporting Actress for Hélène Devos in Belgica, and lastly Best Actress for fledgling performer Martha Canga Antonio, and Best Newcomer in a Leading Role for the latter and the trio she comprises with Emmanuel Tahon and Aboubakr Bensahi in Black.

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Interestingly, the nominations for the Best Screenplay Award shine the spotlight on two somewhat unusual films released this year: the animated movie Cafard [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Jan Bultheel, and the surprising Problemski Hotel [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Manu Riche, who wrote it with Steve Hawes and Dimitri Verhulst, the author of the novel that the film is based on, and whom we also have to thank for The Misfortunates [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Felix van Groeningen
film profile
]
, Felix Van Groeningen’s first major international success story.

We should also point out that Galloping Mind [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by dancer, choreographer and director Wim Vandekeybus snagged five nominations (as did Problemski Hotel), directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are also in the running for Best Editing with their film Black, Robrecht Heyvaert is doubly nominated in the Best Cinematography category for Black and The Ardennes, and Ghent-based group Soulwax looks to be the shoo-in for the Ensor for Best Music, thanks to the flamboyant original soundtrack they composed for Belgica.

Here is the complete list of nominations:

Best Film
Belgica [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Artemio Benki, Sylvie Leray
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
film profile
]
- Felix Van Groeningen
Black [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fal…
interview: Martha Canga Antonio
film profile
]
- Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
The Ardennes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Robin Pront
film profile
]
- Robin Pront

Best Director
Felix van Groeningen - Belgica
Robin Pront - The Ardennes
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah – Black

Best Actress
Martha Canga Antonio - Black
Veerle Baetens - The Ardennes
Evgenia Brendes - Problemski Hotel [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

Best Supporting Actress
Viviane De Muynck - The Ardennes
Natali Broods - Galloping Mind [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

Hélène Devos - Belgica

Best Actor
Tom Vermeir - Belgica
Stef Aerts - Belgica
Kevin Janssens - The Ardennes

Best Supporting Actor
Jan Bijvoet - The Ardennes
Gökhan Girginol - Problemski Hotel
Tom Van Dyck - Safety First [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

Best Screenplay
Jan Bultheel – Cafard [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

Robin Pront, Jeroen Perceval - The Ardennes
Steve Hawes, Manu Riche, Dimitri Verhulst - Problemski Hotel

Best Cinematography
Robrecht Heyvaert - The Ardennes
Robrecht Heyvaert - Black
Gábor Szabó - Galloping Mind

Best Newcomer in a Leading Role
Emmanuel Tahon, Martha Canga Antonio, Aboubakr Bensaihi - Black
Chloë Daxhelet - Café Derby [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

Tarek Halaby and Evgenia Brendes - Problemski Hotel

Best Production Design
Bart Van Loo - Achter de wolken [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]

Geert Paredis - The Ardennes
Gábor Valcz, Sebő Ferenc - Galloping Mind

Best Costumes
Vanessa Eva Evrard - Café Derby
Cathérine Van Bree - The Ardennes
Isabelle Lhoas - Galloping Mind

Best Editing
Nico Leunen - Belgica
Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah - Black
Dieter Diependaele - Galloping Mind

Best Music
Hans Helewaut - Cafard
Soulwax - Belgica
Guy Cabay, Amandine Beyer - Problemski Hotel

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(Translated from French)

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