1st Les Magritte du Cinema Award Winners

I don't really mind that the first ever Belgian film awards selected only French-spoken films as I do understand them in the original language while for Flemish or Dutch spoken films need subtitles; but organizers surprised everyone by giving this year top award to an English-spoken film that I'm still not sure will watch as seems is not an easy to watch film. So, seems that original controversy was settled until next year.

I'm surprised that Illegal didn't got the top award, but very pleased with Anne Coesens getting the Best Actress award as she is absolutely mesmerizing in the film that in my opinion totally belongs to her. Also glad that Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile) got an award even if it was for Best Costume Design, which was superb as recreated the era with careful detail.

Winners are in *BLUE. To check winners in all categories go here.

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1/18/2011
Among controversy because did not nominate Dutch-speaking Belgian films, only French-speaking, the first Magritte Awards will shine a much-needed spotlight on Belgian francophone film production and here are the nominees selected by the members of the Académie André Delvaux.

Best Film
Amer, Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, France and Belgium
Illégal (Illegal), Olivier Masset-Depasse, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Les Barons (The Barons), Nabil Ben Yadir, Belgium and France
*Mr Nobody, Jaco Van Dormael, Canada, Belgium, France and Germany

Best Director
Joachim Lafosse for Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Belgium and France
Olivier Masset-Depasse for Illégal (Illegal), Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Nabil Ben Yadir for Les Barons (The Barons), Belgium and France
*Jaco Van Dormael for Mr Nobody, Canada, Belgium, France and Germany

Best Co Production
Altiplano, Peter Brosens and Jessica Hope Woodworth, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands
Le Concert (The Concert), Radu Mihaileanu, France, Italy, Romania, Belgium and Russia
*Looking for Eric, Ken Loach, UK, France, Italy, Belgium and Spain
My Queen Karo, Dorothée Van Den Berghe, Netherlands and Belgium

Best Actress
*Anne Coesens in Illégal(Illegal), Olivier Masset-Depasse, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Yolande Moreau in Mammuth, Gustave de Kervern and Benoît Delépine, France
Aylin Yay in Maternelle (Motherly), Philippe Blasband, Belgium
Cécile de France in Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile), Stijn Coninx, Belgium and France

Best Supporting Actress
Claire Bodson in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
Yolande Moreau in Gainsbourg (vie héroïque), Joann Sfar, France and USA
*Chirstelle Cornil in Illégal(Illegal), Olivier Masset-Depasse, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Sandrine Blancke in Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile), Stijn Coninx, Belgium and France

Best Female Newcomer
*Pauline Etienne in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
Stéphanie Blanchoud in La Régate (The Boat Race), Bernard Bellefroid, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Chloé Struvay in Maternelle (Motherly), Philippe Blasband, Belgium
Anna Fransiska Jager in My Queen Karo, Dorothée Van Den Berghe, Netherlands and Belgium

Best Actor
*Jonathan Zaccaï in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
Thierry Hancisse in La Régate (The Boat Race), Bernard Bellefroid, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Monir Ait Hamou in Les Barons (The Barons), Nabil Ben Yadir, Belgium and France
Olivier Gourmet in Un ange à la mer (Angel at Sea), Frédéric Dumont, Belgium and Canada

Best Supporting Actor
Benoît Poelvoorde in Coco Avant Chanel, Anne Fontaine, France and Belgium
Yannick Renier in Elève Libre Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
François Damiens in L’Arnacoeur (Heartbreaker), Pascal Chaumeil, France and Monaco
*Jan Decleir in Les Barons (The Barons), Nabil Ben Yadir, Belgium and France
Laurent Capelluto in OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus (OSS 117 – Lost In Rio), Michel Hazanavicius, France

Best Male Newcomer
Jonas Bloquet in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
*Joeffrey Verbruggen in La Régate (The Boat Race), Bernard Bellefroid, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Amir Ben Abdelmoumen in Oscar et la Dame Rose, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, France, Belgium, Canada
Martin Nyssen in Un ange à la mer (Angel at Sea), Frédéric Dumont, Belgium and Canada

To check nominees in all categories as well as information about each film go here. Awards ceremony will be on February 5 in Brussels and will be broadcast by BeTV.

There are some films I have seen, some that was aware of, one that I’m “dying” to see, and many that are new to me. From those that are new there are some that seem quite interesting for suggested visuals and because films tell stories about women.