During the 44th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, which took place from November 13 to 22, 2022, the public was captivated by the selection of two remarkable Belgian films, centered on the world of children and adolescents: love according to Dalva directed by Emmanuelle Nicot and closed by Lukas Dhont.
Selected in international competition, Love according to Dalva won two awards: the silver pyramid and the price of the best actress for the young Zelda Samson. Closed On the other hand was in out -of -competition selection.
These two cinematographic works had already shone in Cannes, testifying to their artistic quality: Love according to Dalva marked criticism by winning three prizes: the Fipresci Prize for international criticismthe golden rail, as well as the Louis Roederer Prix de la Revelation, a distinction awarded to the young Zelda Samson. For his part, Closed was selected in official competition, harvesting the ex-aequo grand prizeGOOD That he deserved more, in particular a reward for the remarkable performance of the young Eden Dambrine. These two films, imbued with striking emotions, also evoke another remarkable Belgian feature film, A worlddirected by Laura Wandelpresented in Cannes in 2021 in the Un certain look section where he had won the Fipresci prize for international criticism.
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At the heart of the film Love according to DalvaEmmanuelle Nicot approached the delicate subject of incest with exceptional sensitivity. The film follows Dalva, a 12 -year -old girl, victim of sexual abuse on the part of her own father, who made him believe that these sexual relations were a way of loveing and showing themselves their mutual love. Conditioned for years, Dalva has a hard time seeing reality opposite.
How to rebuild itself when the world she knows collapses and that she discovers that she was dupped, that one of the people supposed to protect her and love her abused her? How to become a child again when for several years, her father behaved with her as if she were an adult? In addition to the physical transformation of the young Davla that her dad “disguised” as an adult, we are also witnessing her psychological transformation, by small gestures, words … The shell is cracking, appears a frightened child, torn from the only source of love that she had until then. Who to trust? Who to believe? How to understand the other men who revolve around her, her comrades or her educator? The reconstruction is slow and painful.
For his part, Closed Directed by Lukas Dhont, explores the journey of a young teenager in the face of the scrutiny of the others. The protagonist gradually learns to manage external judgments, and also have to face the reality of mourning and guilt.
A worldproduced by Laura Wandel, addresses the theme of harassment within the school in a delicate and realistic way. The film follows Nora, a young schoolgirl, struggling with the harassment of which his brother Abel is a victim. Torn between his desire to integrate, the expectations of his father and the requests of her brother to remain silent, Nora finds herself in a situation of inner conflict. A world offers an immersive dive into the world of school through the eyes of a child, exposing the complex and sometimes cruel dynamics that reign there.
A major common point unites these three films: a deep emotional sensitivity. Each of these cinematographic works brilliantly allows to capture and transmit a range of complex emotions, thus offering the public a total immersion in the inner world of children and adolescents. This shared characteristic is particularly touching, because it allows spectators to live these stories through the eyes of their young protagonists. The three films are imbued with a sincere emotion that permeates each scene and each interaction. They strive to grasp the essence of childish experience, exploring challenges and triumphs with acute understanding and palpable empathy. The directors have adopted a careful approach: to focus on the details that present the interior emotions of the characters and produce their universally felt stories. This deep exploration of the emotions and experiences of these young protagonists contributes to making Love according to Dalva,, Closed And A world Films that touch the heart and soul of all those who have the chance to discover them on the big screen.
A crucial element of these films is the performance of young actors, which brings touching authenticity and sincerity to their characters. Their interpretation greatly contributes to the creation and emotional depth of each story. Through their talents, these actors manage to transmit emotional nuances and the interior challenges with which their characters are confronted, without deploying excessive artifices. The three of them would have deserved to win several awards for better interpretation.
Neïla Driss
