GIRL wins big at Cannes Film Festival.

by Els Debbaut, Editor

GROUND-BREAKING IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
The new Flemish film Girl won four awards at the Cannes Film Festival, including the prestigious Caméra D’Or for best first feature film. Director Lukas Dhont is the first Flemish filmmaker to ever win the prize.
Girl is the story of an adolescent ballerina who was born a boy. It was a hit with audiences, critics and juries at Cannes, bringing home no less than four awards.

Victor Polster, who plays the lead in the film, won the best actor award in the Un Certain Regard programme, with the jury headed by Benicio De Toro. The international press Fipresci Prize also went to Girl, as did Canne’s Queer Palm.

After its world premiere, Girl received a standing ovation of several minutes, and the critics took to the internet to write glowing reviews. Le Figaro called it “the first real surprise of the festival,” while De Standaard called it “a moving experience, without one false sentiment”.