Belgian Cinema in the Spotlight at the Cannes Film Festival
With Virginie Efira more dazzling than ever and Emmanuel Macchia— the breakthrough discovery of director Lukas Dhont—Belgian cinema shone brightly on the Croisette.
The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will be remembered as a particularly successful year for Belgian cinema. Although it did not win the Palme d’Or—awarded this year to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for Fjord—Belgian talent nevertheless left a strong mark on the competition, standing out in several major categories.
Belgium distinguished itself with a series of prestigious awards, confirming its status as a major force in European cinema. Notably, the Best Actor award was presented to Charleroi native Emmanuel Macchia for his role in Coward, directed by Ghent-based filmmaker Lukas Dhont.
On the women’s side, Belgium also took top honors with the Best Actress award jointly given to Virginie Efira. She shares this distinction with Japanese actress Tao Okamoto for their performances in Suddenly by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. This recognition further cements Efira’s standing as an international actress.
Driven by acclaimed filmmakers such as Lukas Dhont and supported by a new generation of actors and writers, Belgian cinema continues to assert itself on the global stage.