05.13.2022

A French-speaking Belgian film selected at the Semaine de la critique!

La Semaine de la critique, the parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival, announced its 2022 selection on Wednesday 20 April. Dalva by Emmanuelle Nicot will have its world premiere. This is the second French-speaking Belgian film selected at Cannes this year, after the announcement last Friday of the selection in competition of the Dardenne brothers' new film, Tori and Lokita.

Dalva, the director's first feature film, will be presented at the prestigious Semaine de la critique in Cannes from 18 to 26 May.

Dalva is 12 years old but dresses, wears make-up, and thinks of herself as a grown woman. One evening, she is abruptly removed from her father's home.  First revolting in total incomprehension, she meets Jayden, a social worker, and Samia, a teenager with a strong character. A new life seems to be opening up for Dalva: the one of a girl of her own age.

This is the first feature film by the young director. Emmanuelle Nicot graduated from the IAD in 2012 and made a name for herself with her short films Rae and A l'arraché, both of which won around 15 festival awards. She also works as a casting director, specialising in wild casting.

The film is produced by Julie Esparbes at Helicotronc (Maddly in life), in co-production with the French company Tripode Productions, and with the support of the Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, screen.brussels and the Tax Shelter of the Belgian federal government. Dalva was also supported by RTBF and Proximus. The film is sold internationally by Mk2 and will be distributed by Diaphana in France and O'Brother in Belgium.

Also noteworthy is the selection of the short film Scale by Joseph Pierce, co-produced by Ozù Productions, with the support of the Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Since 1962, when it was created by the Syndicat Français de la Critique de Cinéma, la Semaine de la Critique has been dedicated to the discovery of young talent, by honouring first and second feature films. Julia Ducourneau, Cesar Diaz, Jacques Audiard, Alejandro González Iñarritu, Ken Loach, François Ozon, Valérie Donzelli, Jeff Nichols and Rebecca Zlotowski have all been revealed at la Semaine de la Critique. Last year, the first film signed by Julie Lecoustre and Emmanuel Marre, Zero fuck given, was selected.

Belgian cinematographer Benoit Debie is a member of the Semaine de la Critique jury.

Three co-productions were also added to the Cannes line-up with, in the Directors' Fortnight, the presentation of Philippe Faucon's Harkis, co-produced by Les Films du Fleuve and supported by the Centre du Cinéma de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, and Nicolas Pariser's Le Parfum vert, co-produced by Versus production. The Critics' Week will feature Alma Viva by Cristèle Alves Meira, co-produced by the Belgian company Entre chien et loup.

As a reminder, the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival had already announced last week the selections in competition of the new film by the Dardenne brothers, Tori and Lokita, as well as the co-productions Close by Flemish director Lukas Dhont (Girl) and Dodo by Greek director Panos Koutras, co-produced respectively by Versus Production and Tarantula Belgium.