The Ensors, the Flemish awards for film & TV, annually reward the highlightsof the big and small screen. Which Close and Zillion with fourteennominations each leading the list, it’s hard to call it a surprise. In thecinemas they have recorded good figures in the past period.
Both films are nominated for best picture, as well as for directing, leadingand supporting roles. It is already certain that none of those titles will winfourteen statuettes. Both Zillion if Close have several contenders in the(mixed) acting categories – since the last edition there are no separateawards for men and women.
For example, Jonas Vermeulen and Charlotte Timmers have been nominated fortheir leading role in Zillion , while Matteo Simoni and Barbara Sarafian arecontenders in the supporting actor category. The other supporting roles thathave a chance are all three out Close : Gustav De Waele, Emilie Dequenne andLéa Drucker. Eden Dambrine is a contender with his starring role in Close_next to Aboubakr Bensaihi ( _Rebel ) and Koen De Bouw ( Nowhere ).
No female filmmakers
The other nominees in the best picture category, besides Close and Zillion_to be _Rebel , Nowhere and Hazard. In the directing category it is alsobetween the gentlemen behind the same titles. The longlist already showed thatno female filmmaker has a chance. That is not a surprise, because no Flemishfilm with a female director was released last year. In 2022, three of the fivenominated filmmakers were women.
The Ensors also award TV fiction. Roomies the sensation of the year, leadswith eleven nominations. Chantal and Billy vs Benjamin got six each time.
The members of the Ensor Academy – now numbering 1700 – will be able to votefor their favorites in the coming weeks. The figurines are presented annuallyat the Gala of the Ensors, the event that closes the Ostend Film Festival onSaturday 4 February.
Last year there was commotion after all acting awards went to men at the firstedition with mixed acting categories. It is statistically unlikely that itwill turn out like this again this year: only in the leading role category forfilm more men than women have a chance.