Girl (2018 film)

2018 Belgian film by Lukas Dhont

Girl

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Lukas Dhont
Written by|

* Lukas Dhont
* Angelo Tijssens

Produced by| Dirk Impens
Starring|

* Victor Polster
* Arieh Worthalter
* Katelijne Damen
* Valentijn Dhaenens

Cinematography| Frank van den Eeden
Edited by| Alain Dessauvage
Music by| Valentin Hadjadj

Production
companies

* Menuet
* Frakas Productions
* Topkapi Films

Distributed by| Lumière

Release dates

* 12 May 2018 (2018-05-12) (Cannes)
* 9 October 2018 (2018-10-09) (Belgium)
* 1 November 2018 (2018-11-01) (Netherlands)

Running time

| 106 minutes[1]
Countries|

* Belgium
* Netherlands

Languages|

* Dutch
* French

Budget| €1.5 million[2]
Box office| $4.2 million[3][4]

Girl is a 2018 drama film directed by Lukas Dhont, in his feature debut. It was written by Dhont and Angelo Tijssens and stars Victor Polster, in his acting debut, as a trans girl who pursues a career as a ballerina.

The film screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Caméra d'Or award, for best first feature film, as well as the Queer Palm, and Polster won the Un Certain Regard Jury Award for Best Performance.[5] It was selected as the Belgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards,[6][7] although it did not make the December shortlist.[8] It received nine nominations at the 9th Magritte Awards and won four, including Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Polster.

Girl was inspired by Nora Monsecour, a trans female dancer from Belgium, whom Dhont met when he was 18 and she was 15.[9] While initially praised by critics,[10] the film was criticised by some trans and queer writers for its depiction of gender dysphoria and self-harm. Concern was also raised about the lead actor and director both being cisgender. Monsecour, who collaborated with Dhont and Tijssens on the film, has defended the film in response.

## Plot

[edit]

Lara Verhaeghen is a fifteen year old Belgian transgender girl and aspiring professional ballerina. She applies to a prestigious ballet school in Antwerp, and upon acceptance (contingent on her performance during an eight week trial), she moves to be closer to the school, with her supportive francophone father, Mathias, and younger brother, Milo. During this transitional time, Lara is speaking to doctors about her gender dysphoria, taking puberty blockers and regularly sees a psychiatrist, who is also supportive.

Lara performs well in school, and, despite the public knowledge that she is transgender, her classmates accept her, including using the girls' locker room, but she always uses a private restroom. Against advice, she tucks her penis with tape during practices. Lara's body endures more pain as she trains extensively. Nevertheless, her dedication to ballet and to her external appearance reflecting her gender identity motivate her. Six year old Milo, however, does not adjust as well and calls his sister by her deadname. Lara is supportive, and not only gets him ready and takes him to school each day but checks in on him from afar.

Time passes, and the doctors are ready to begin Lara's sex reassignment surgery. Although the full process will take two years, Lara eagerly signs the consent documents. Speaking to her psychiatrist later, she states that she does not want to date until she has the "right body". Her psychiatrist, however, tells her to enjoy her puberty as a teenager.

Although she begins hormone replacement therapy in preparation for her surgery, Lara's body does not change fast enough for her. One night, at a sleepover, some classmates bully her, but she leaves and goes home. She finds her father having dinner with his new girlfriend, and tells him she has returned because she has a stomach ache. Matthias does not pressure but brings it up on the way to the doctor the next day. At the appointment, the doctor notes that Lara has lost weight and has a genital infection, and tells Lara that she must stop taping and gain weight, because she has to be physically strong for the operation. Lara insists that she is fine, but her father disagrees.

After a near breakdown in class, Lara finds comfort with a boy in her building, who has shown interest in her. While she kisses him and he kisses back, she prevents him from touching her, and instead begins to perform oral sex on him and after he ejaculates Lara flees. Returning home, Lara instigates an argument with Matthias, who tries to be understanding but Lara refuses to open up.

Studio rehearsals are over and the students move to their first stage practice. Lara barely finishes, then collapses from exhaustion backstage. The next day, she wakes late and tries to leave, but when her father says she has not eaten, Lara lashes out and breaks down in tears. Later, at the doctor's office, her doctors tell her that she must stop dancing and regain her strength, otherwise, she will not be able to have the surgery, which is delayed.

At a family dinner some time later, Lara seems better. Some guests comment on how gorgeous she looks in her new dress, and later, she falls asleep cradling Milo. The next day, Matthias takes her coffee in bed before leaving for work and to drop off Milo at school. Lara prepares a bowl of ice, calls the emergency call centre and mutilates her penis with a pair of scissors. Matthias stays at her side in the ambulance and at her bedside. In the final scene, a recovered Lara, with shorter hair, walks determinedly down a street.

## Cast

[edit]

* Victor Polster as Lara Verhaeghen
* Arieh Worthalter as Mathias Verhaeghen
* Olivar Bodart as Milo Verhaeghen
* Katelijne Damen [nl] as Dr. Naert
* Valentijn Dhaenens [nl; fr] as Dr. Pascal
* Tijmen Govaerts as Lewis

## Production

[edit]

Victor Polster and Lukas Dhont at a Paris premiere of Girl.

The film was inspired by Nora Monsecour, a professional dancer and trans woman from Belgium.[11] In 2009, Dhont, then 18 and a newly enrolled film student, read a newspaper article about Monsecour's request to her ballet school that she take the girls' class so she could learn en pointe skills.[12][13][14][15][9] Unlike the protagonist of the film, Monsecour was not accepted to the girls' class, and since shifted her focus from ballet to contemporary dance.[16] Dhont approached Monsecour to make a documentary about her, which she declined. Instead, he then went on to write a fictional narrative film with her and Tijssens, although Monsecour remained uncredited at her wish.[12][13] Dhont consulted Monsecour, other transgender people and medical professionals for the film.[11][17][15] Doctors at Ghent University Hospital, where Monsecour had been a patient, advised against casting a trans girl because she would be in a sensitive period of her transition.[18]

The casting for the lead role was done with no regard to the actors' gender. After failing to find an actor who could both dance and act to their satisfaction among the 500 people aged between 14 and 17 who auditioned (six of whom were trans female), the filmmakers began casting the rest of the dancers who would appear in the film. It was in this group casting process that they found Polster.[14][15][18] Monsecour was involved in the casting of Polster and was present on set during the filming.[13] Polster took three months of voice training and of dance practices with pointe shoes.[18] The filming involved nude scenes of Polster, then 14, with his parents' consent. The crew took particular care not to show his face and lower body in the same shot.[19] Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, artistic director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders, served as choreographer.[18]

## Release

[edit]

Girl premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on 12 May 2018.[20] In May 2018, Netflix acquired the rights to the film for North America and Latin America.[21] While Netflix originally planned to release the film on its platform on 18 January 2019,[22] the release was pushed back to 15 March 2019.[23] Netflix released the film with a warning card, which read, "This film covers sensitive issues, and includes some sexual content, graphic nudity, and an act of self-harm", with a link to a website providing information about The Trevor Project's suicide hotline.[24]

## Reception

[edit]

### Critical response

[edit]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 83%, based on 63 reviews, and an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Girl uses one aspiring dancer's story as the framework for a poignant drama that approaches its difficult themes with fittingly alluring grace."[25] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[26]

David Ehrlich of IndieWire called the film "arrestingly empathetic" and gave the film a grade of B+, while expressing a concern over the casting of the cisgender male actor for the role of a trans woman.[27] Peter Debruge of Variety praised Polster's performance and called the film "an intuitively accessible look at a gender nonconforming teenager trying to find the courage to be herself".[28] Boyd van Hoeij of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film's reliance on visuals and editing rather than dialogue, while raising concern about the casting and nudity, which he nonetheless found to be "a logical choice".[29]

Wendy Ide of Screen International called the film "assured and empathetic", saying, "There is a compassion and intimacy to Dhont's approach to gender issues which evokes the work of Céline Sciamma, particularly in Tomboy."[30] Steve Pond of TheWrap described the film as "a quiet movie until it isn't, a gentle character study that goes into extreme territory, a wrenching drama that you think is about finding acceptance until it threatens to become about the impossibility of that very thing", and wrote, "by the end, this quiet movie goes to a place of horrific pain and desperation. ... Dhont manages to find the briefest of grace notes in its aftermath".[31]

Kimber Myers of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the cinematography which focuses on the protagonist's body "feels exploitative, rather than empathetic", and that "it's the irresponsible handling of the film's final, shocking scenes that is the most problematic". Myers concluded, "Dhont's film is a strong debut from a technical angle, but it lacks the humanity necessary for a story of this nature".[32]

### Criticism

[edit]

Girl has been met with criticism from some trans and queer writers, particularly in regard to its depiction of gender dysphoria and self-harm.[10]

Matthew Rodriguez of the Into magazine wrote, "the film is bloody and obsessed with trans bodies in a way that reminds us that a cisgender person wrote and directed it. It's trans trauma porn and, as a cisgender person, I'm warning trans people not to watch it and cis people not to fall for it", and that the shots of the cisgender male actor Polster's genitalia "convey a creepy, voyeuristic obsession with Lara's body that never loses its ick factor. ... Rather than uplifting Lara, the film almost seems to want to humiliate her and lament her struggle." Rodriguez also criticised the casting of Polster despite the character being supposed to be on puberty blockers: "young trans girls on blockers don't look like feminine or androgynous boys—they look like girls. Lara has started taking estrogen, and she is frustrated because her breasts haven't developed. Hormones affect more than breasts, yet the film focuses on breasts and the vagina as the sole things that make a trans girl a girl", while acknowledging some aspects of the film, such as the relationship between Lara and her father and the microaggressions she faces, as "well-wrought".[33]

On the British Film Institute's website, trans female critic Cathy Brennan wrote, "Dhont's camera dwells on the teenage Lara's crotch with a troubling fascination throughout the entire runtime. ... The camera's gaze in Girl belongs to that of a cis person. It fits comfortably into the way cis audiences see people like me. They may smile to my face while wondering what's between my legs." In regard to the ending of the film in which the protagonist mutilates her penis, Brennan wrote, "It's a scene of severe trauma that the film has not earned the right to depict. Dhont's portrayal of gender dysphoria is so focused on the genitals that he offers no insight into the psychological facets of trans girl's psychology. To reduce it down to this one act of self-mutilation is cinematic barbarism."[34]

Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Oliver Whitney, who identifies as trans masculine,[22] described Girl as "the most dangerous movie about a trans character in years". Whitney criticised the film's "disturbing fascination with trans bodies", writing, "Lara's genitals, shown in multiple full-frontal nude shots of Polster's penis, have a bigger presence throughout Girl and are central to more plot points than the character herself. ... What could have been a thoughtful exploration of a difficult part of a trans girl's daily life instead uses her body as a site of trauma, inviting the audience to react with disgust. Much like the cisgender characters who continually silence Lara and tell her how to feel, the director shows no interest in understanding her internal struggles." Whitney identified the depiction of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to be the film's largest issue, writing that it "sends the inaccurate message that HRT will cause a trans person more agony" and is "outrageously irresponsible filmmaking", and concluded with a call for further inclusion of transgender people in the film industry, which in his opinion would have prevented the film from getting as much acclaim.[35]

Tre'vell Anderson of the Out magazine also condemned the film's depiction of self-mutilation and lack of "substantive participation of trans voices".[36] GLAAD posted quotations from these critics on Twitter, warning to "read what trans and queer critics are saying".[37][10] GLAAD also sent out an email asking recipients to attend screenings and share articles critical of the film on social media in order to promote inclusion in the industry.[38] In North America, the lack of early access to the film for critics not in major cities or in award-giving circles was criticised as consequentially diminishing and delaying opportunities for queer critics to voice their opinions.[10][39]

The film was also met with criticism from the trans community in Belgium and France. The critics found the film to be fixated on physical, especially genital, aspects of transitioning when, according to Camille Pier, project manager at Brussels association network RainbowHouse, other factors such as administrative complications, environment, respect to human rights, and being a minor can pose more pressing problems.[40] Researcher Héloïse Guimin-Fati described the film as having a "cis-centred" and "terribly masculine" vision, and said that "the character of Lara became an object when she should have been the subject of the film".[40] They also found the film's emphasis on the protagonist's suffering and isolation and her not seeking help from the trans community despite having a supportive father and living in modern Belgium incongruous and perpetuating stereotypes.[40][41][42] Londé Ngosso, director of Belgian organisation Genres Pluriels, said, "This does not take into account the reality of the country, social networks, the commitment of young people, all of the work we've done for eleven years. It makes us invisible instead of putting us forward."[41]

In response to the criticism, Nora Monsecour, the dancer who inspired the film, defended the film in The Hollywood Reporter, writing, "Girl is not a representation of all transgender experiences, but rather a retelling of experiences that I faced during my journey. ... Girl tells my story in a way that doesn't lie, doesn't hide. To argue that Lara's experience as trans is not valid because Lukas is cis or because we have a cis lead actor offends me."[11] In a subsequent interview with IndieWire, Monsecour repeated that she was "offended", saying, "My story is not a fantasy of the cis director. Lara's story is my story." She also stated that she viewed the self-mutilation at the end of the film as "a metaphor for suicidal thoughts or dark thoughts that are taking over, which I experienced myself", and that it was "crucial to show", adding, "The scene should not be interpreted [as] encouraging trans youth to cut certain body parts off themselves. That is not the message. The message is to show that these things are a result of dark thoughts, [which] are the result of the struggle that we face."[43] In another interview, Monsecour told The New York Times, "The words people have used to describe Girl came close to my heart because the scenes they are criticizing are scenes that I had in mind during my transition. To criticize Lukas for portraying those things made me think, am I the only person who had suicidal thoughts or was bodily focused?"[22]

Dhont responded to the criticism by saying, "We wanted to show this young trans girl in the world of the ballet, which is very binary, and her struggling with that. ... Not everyone can always like everything. I really am someone who wants to see trans directors directing trans stories, and someone that wants to see trans actors playing trans parts, any part. But let's not fight for inclusion by the tool of exclusion. Let's fight for inclusion by having everyone at the table."[38]

Writing for The Advocate, Ann Thomas, the founder of a trans talent agency, defended the film, attributing the casting of the cis male actor to the lack of young trans actors working in Europe at the time of the pre-production, and described the film's portrayals as accurate.[17] Non-binary dancer Chase Johnsey found the film's focus on the protagonist's physicality to be consistent with his experience as a ballet dancer, and said, "The struggles that trans and gender-fluid people often have in the ballet world are with their body, because it's a body-oriented art form."[16] Phia Ménard, a French transgender director and performer, also found the film consistent with her experience, and the self-mutilation in the film comparable to teenage suicidal impulse.[16]

Netflix was reported to be working with GLAAD and considering adding a warning to accompany the film, which Dhont has said he would endorse.[38] In January 2019, The New York Times reported that Netflix had reached out to organisations for suggestions on how to word the warning.[22] In December 2018, Netflix organised a screening of the film in Los Angeles to which queer and trans people were invited.[44]

### Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date of ceremony  | Category  | Recipients  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Adelaide Film Festival | 10–21 Oct 2018  | Best Feature Film  | Girl | Nominated  | [45]
Belgian Film Critics Association | 20 December 2018  | André Cavens Award for Best Film | Girl | Won  | [46]
Cannes Film Festival | 8–19 May 2018  | FIPRESCI Prize
Un Certain Regard | Girl | Won  | [47]
Golden Camera | Lukas Dhont  | Won
Queer Palm | Girl | Won
Un Certain Regard Jury Award for Best Performance  | Victor Polster  | Won
Un Certain Regard | Girl | Nominated
César Award | 22 February 2019 | Best Foreign Film | Girl | Nominated  | [48]
CPH PIX Film Festival | 27 Set – 10 October 2018  | Best New Talent Grand PIX  | Lukas Dhont  | Nominated  | [49]
European Film Awards | 15 December 2018 | Best Film | Girl | Nominated  | [50]
Best Actor | Victor Polster  | Nominated
Best European Discovery | Girl | Won
Golden Globes Awards | 6 January 2019 | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated  | [51]
ICFF "Manaki Brothers" | 22-29 Sep 2018  | Golden Camera 300  | Frank van den Eeden  | Nominated  | [52]
Jerusalem Film Festival | 22-29 Sep 2018  | International First Film  | Lukas Dhont  | Nominated  | [53]
Les Arcs European Film Festival | 16–23 Dec 2017  | TitraFilm Prize  | Won  | [54]
Lisbon Gay & Lesbian Film Festival | 14-22 Sep 2018  | Audience Award  | Girl | Won  | [55]
Best Actor  | Victor Polster  | Won
London Film Festival | 10–21 Oct 2018  | Best First Feature Film  | Lukas Dhont  | Won  | [56]
Magritte Award | 2 February 2019 | Best Flemish Film | Girl | Won  | [57]
Best Actor | Victor Polster  | Won
Best Supporting Actor | Arieh Worthalter  | Won
Best Screenplay | Lukas Dhont and Angelo Tijssens  | Won
Best Cinematography | Frank van den Eeden  | Nominated
Best Production Design | Philippe Bertin  | Nominated
Best Costume Design | Catherine van Bree  | Nominated
Best Sound | Yanna Soentjens  | Nominated
Best Editing | Alain Dessauvage  | Nominated
Melbourne International Film Festival | 2–19 Aug 2018  | Best Narrative Feature  | Girl | 7th place  | [58]
French National Center of Cinematography | 30 November 2018  | Best Film of the Year  | 1st place  | [59]
Odesa International Film Festival | 13–21 Jul 2018  | Best International Film  | Nominated  | [60]
Best Acting  | Victor Polster  | Won
Oostende Film Festival | 7-15 Sep 2018  | Best National Debut  | Lukas Dhont  | Won  | [61]
Palić Film Festival | 14–20 Jul 2018  | Best Film  | Girl | Won  | [62]
Philadelphia Film Festival | 18–28 Oct 2018  | Best First Film  | Lukas Dhont  | Nominated  | [63]
Pingyao International Film Festival | 11–20 Oct 2018  | People's Choice Award  | Girl | Won  | [64]
San Sebastián International Film Festival | 21-29 Sep 2018  | Best Film  | Won  | [65]
Best European Film  | Won
Seville European Film Festival | 9–17 Nov 2018  | Best LGBT Film
(Ocaña Award) | Nominated  | [66]
Stockholm Film Festival | 7–18 Nov 2018 | Best Film  | Nominated  | [67]
Best Actor  | Victor Polster  | Won
Thessaloniki Film Festival | 1–11 Nov 2018  | Best LGBTQI-themed Film  | Girl | Nominated  | [68]
Zurich Film Festival | Set 27 – 7 October 2018  | Best International Feature Film  | Won  | [69]

## See also

[edit]

* List of submissions to the 91st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
* List of Belgian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Girl". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
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4. ^ "Girl (2018)". The Numbers. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
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6. ^ "'Girl' is Belgian entry for the Oscars". De Morgen. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
7. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (27 August 2018). "Oscars: Belgium Selects 'Girl', Cannes' Camera D'Or, As Foreign Language Entry". Deadline. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
8. ^ Thompson, Anne (17 December 2018). "Oscars 2019 Foreign-Language Feature Shortlist: Winners and Losers". IndieWire. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
9. ^ a b Clarke, Cath (12 March 2019). "'I have the right to tell this story': Lukas Dhont defends his trans film Girl". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
10. ^ a b c d Romano, Nick (6 December 2018). "Trans critics explain the problem with Girl and its Golden Globes nomination". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
11. ^ a b c Monsecour, Nora (7 December 2018). "Belgium Oscar Submission 'Girl' Is a 'Message of Courage, Bravery And Compassion' (Guest Column)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
12. ^ a b Tangcay, Jazz (17 November 2018). "Interview: Lukas Dohnt Talks About His Casting Choices For Girl". Awards Daily. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
13. ^ a b c Ramos, Dino-Ray (13 November 2018). "Director Lukas Dhont Talks Netflix Drama 'Girl', Opening A Dialogue With Trans Community". Deadline. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
14. ^ a b Mitchell, Wendy (12 May 2018). "Lukas Dhont talks genderless casting for his Cannes transgender film 'Girl'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
15. ^ a b c Malinjod, Eugénie (12 May 2018). "Girl, as seen by Lukas Dhont". Cannes Film Festival. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
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28. ^ Debruge, Peter (12 May 2018). "Film Review: 'Girl'". Variety. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
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31. ^ Pond, Steve (12 May 2018). "'Girl' Film Review: Transgender Teen Drama Is a True Cannes Discovery". TheWrap. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
32. ^ Myers, Kimber (27 December 2018). "Review: Belgian drama 'Girl' stumbles in telling story of trans teen". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
33. ^ Rodriguez, Matthew (4 October 2018). "Netflix's 'Girl' Is Another Example of Trans Trauma Porn and Should Be Avoided At All Costs". Into. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
34. ^ Brennan, Cathy (30 October 2018). "It's winning awards, but Girl is no victory for trans representation". British Film Institute. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
35. ^ Whitney, Oliver (4 December 2018). "Belgium's Foreign-Language Oscar Submission, 'Girl,' Is a Danger to the Transgender Community (Guest Column)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
36. ^ Anderson, Tre'vell (4 December 2018). "Netflix's 'Girl' is Dangerous and Doesn't Deserve an Oscar". Out. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
37. ^ GLAAD [@glaad] (6 December 2018). "It's a banner year for LGBTQ inclusion at the #GoldenGlobes but trans writers say Foreign Language nominee 'Girl' is 'the most dangerous movie about a trans character in years.' Read what trans and queer critics are saying. @TheAcademy @NetflixFilm THREAD" (Tweet) - via Twitter.
38. ^ a b c Ennis, Dawn (12 December 2018). "Exclusive: 'Girl' Director Defends Film From Attacks by Trans Critics". NewNowNext. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
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41. ^ a b Ghyselings, Marise (18 October 2018). "Girl, vivement déconseillé aux personnes transgenres". Paris Match Belgique (in French). Retrieved 19 December 2018.
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43. ^ Dry, Jude (19 December 2018). "Netflix's 'Girl' Slammed by Trans Critics, but the Film's Subject Says They're Wrong". IndieWire. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
44. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (18 December 2018). "Oscar-Snubbed 'Girl' Director Lukas Dhont Responds To Tough Words From Trans Critics: 'The Biggest Strength Of Art Is Empathy'". Deadline. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
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48. ^ Richford, Rhonda (22 February 2019). "Cesar Awards: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
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51. ^ Bitran, Tara (6 January 2019). "Alfonso Cuaron's 'Roma' Wins Golden Globe for Best Foreign-Language Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
52. ^ "New Talent Grand". ICFF Manaki Brothers. September 2018. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
53. ^ "Fist Film". ICFF Manaki Brothers. September 2018.
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55. ^ "Winners". Queer Lisboa. 1 September 2018.
56. ^ Korsner, Jason (20 October 2018). "London Film Festival Awards are as Topical as a News Bulletin". What's Worth Seeing. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
57. ^ Roxborough, Scott (14 January 2019). "'Girl,' 'Above the Law' Lead Belgium Film Award Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
58. ^ "GIRL Unclassified 18+". MIFF. August 2018.
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63. ^ "27th Philadelphia Film Festival" (PDF). PFF. July 2018.
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66. ^ "El Ayuntamiento de Cantillana entrega el trofeo para el Premio Ocaña a la mejor película LGTBIQ del #15FestivalSevilla". Fundación Audiovisual de Andalucía. November 2018. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
67. ^ "Winners at Stockholm International Film Festival 2018" (PDF). Stockholms filmfestival. November 2018.
68. ^ "59th TIFF: The Closing Ceremony". TIFF. November 2018.
69. ^ "Girl wins top prize at 2018 Zurich Film Festival". Screen Daily. October 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Girl at IMDb

Awards for Girl

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Belgian Film Critics Association Award for Best Film

* The Son of Amir Is Dead (1976)
* In the Name of the Führer (1977)
* Les Rendez-vous d'Anna (1978)
* Woman Between Wolf and Dog (1979)
* My Name Is Anna Magnani (1980)
* Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven (1981)
* Le Lit (1982)
* Brussels by Night (1983)
* Permeke (1985)
* The van Paemel Family (1986)
* Wedding in Galilee (1987)
* The Abyss (1988)
* Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1989)
* Monsieur (1990)
* Toto the Hero (1991)
* Man Bites Dog (1992)
* Just Friends (1993)
* The Sexual Life of the Belgians (1994)
* Manneken Pis (1995)
* La Promesse (1996)
* Gabriel's Dream (1997)
* Rosie (1998)
* Rosetta (1999)
* Lijmen/Het Been (2000)
* No Man's Land (2001)
* The Son (2002)
* On the Run / An Amazing Couple / After Life (2003)
* Gilles' Wife (2004)
* L'Enfant (2005)
* The Only One (2006)
* Private Property (2007)
* Eldorado (2008)
* Unspoken (2009)
* Mr. Nobody (2010)
* Bullhead (2011)
* Our Children (2012)
* Kid (2013)
* Two Days, One Night (2014)
* The Brand New Testament (2015)
* After Love (2016)
* Home (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Our Mothers (2019)
* Adoration (2020)
* Playground (2021)
* Close (2022)
* Love According to Dalva (2023)
* Night Call and Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (2024)

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Caméra d'Or winning films

* Alambrista! (1978)
* Northern Lights (1979)
* Adrien's Story (1980)
* Desperado City (1981)
* Half a Life (1982)
* The Princess (1983)
* Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
* Oriana (1985)
* Noir et Blanc (1986)
* Robinsonada or My English Grandfather (1987)
* Salaam Bombay! (1988)
* My 20th Century (1989)
* Freeze Die Come to Life (1990)
* Toto the Hero (1991)
* Mac (1992)
* The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
* Coming to Terms with the Dead (1994)
* The White Balloon (1995)
* Love Serenade (1996)
* Suzaku (1997)
* Slam (1998)
* Marana Simhasanam (1999)
* Djomeh (2000)
* A Time for Drunken Horses (2000)
* Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)
* Seaside (2002)
* Reconstruction (2003)
* Or (My Treasure) (2004)
* Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
* The Forsaken Land (2005)
* 12:08 East of Bucharest (2006)
* Jellyfish (2007)
* Hunger (2008)
* Samson and Delilah (2009)
* Año bisiesto (2010)
* Las Acacias (2011)
* Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
* Ilo Ilo (2013)
* Party Girl (2014)
* Land and Shade (2015)
* Divines (2016)
* Montparnasse Bienvenue (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Our Mothers (2019)
* Murina (2021)
* War Pony (2022)
* Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (2023)
* Armand (2024)
* The President's Cake (2025)

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European Film Award for European Discovery of the Year (Best Young Film)

* Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
* 300 Miles to Heaven (1989)
* Henry V (1990)
* Toto the Hero (1991)
* The Northerners (1992)
* Orlando (1993)
* The Son of the Shark and Woyzeck (1994)
* Hate (1995)
* Some Mother's Son (1996)
* The Life of Jesus (1997)
* Festen and The Dreamlife of Angels (1998)
* The War Zone (1999)
* Human Resources (2000)
* Pellet (2001)
* Hukkle (2002)
* The Return (2003)
* A Children's Story (2004)
* Accused (2005)
* 13 Tzameti (2006)
* The Band's Visit (2007)
* Hunger (2008)
* Katalin Varga (2009)
* Lebanon (2010)
* Oxygen (2011)
* Kauwboy (2012)
* A Coffee in Berlin (2013)
* The Tribe (2014)
* Mustang (2015)
* The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (2016)
* Lady Macbeth (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Les Misérables (2019)
* Sole (2020)
* Promising Young Woman (2021)
* Small Body (2022)
* How to Have Sex (2023)
* Armand (2024)

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Lumière Award for Best French-Language Film

* The Son (2003)
* The Barbarian Invasions (2004)
* Tomorrow We Move (2005)
* L'Enfant (2006)
* Bamako (2007)
* Délice Paloma (2008)
* Lorna's Silence (2009)
* I Killed My Mother (2010)
* A Screaming Man (2011)
* Incendies (2012)
* The Pirogue (2013)
* Horses of God (2014)
* Two Days, One Night (2015)
* Much Loved (2016)
* Hedi (2017)
* Insyriated (2018)
* Girl (2019)

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Winners of the Queer Palm

Feature films|

* Kaboom (2010)
* Beauty (2011)
* Laurence Anyways (2012)
* Stranger by the Lake (2013)
* Pride (2014)
* Carol (2015)
* The Lives of Thérèse (2016)
* BPM (Beats per Minute) (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
* The Divide (2021)
* Joyland (2022)
* Monster (2023)
* Three Kilometres to the End of the World (2024)
* The Little Sister (2025)

Short films|

* It's Not a Cowboy Movie (2012)
* Lost Queens (2015)
* Gabber Lover (2016)
* Islands (2017)
* The Orphan (2018)
* The Distance Between Us and the Sky (2019)
* The Fall of the Swift / Frida (2021)
* Will You Look at Me (2022)
* Bolero (2023)
* Southern Brides (2024)
* Bleat! (2025)

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Sutherland Trophy–winning films

* Tokyo Story (1958)
* The World of Apu (1959)
* L'Avventura (1960)
* Il Posto (1961)
* Paris Belongs to Us (1962)
* Muriel (1963)
* Hamlet (1964)
* Pierrot le Fou (1965)
* The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short (1966)
* Samurai Rebellion (1967)
* The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968)
* L'Amour fou (1969)
* The Conformist (1970)
* Four Nights of a Dreamer (1971)
* The Hour of the Furnaces (1972)
* Pirosmani (1973)
* Martha (1974)
* The Travelling Players (1975)
* In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
* Hitler: A Film from Germany (1977)
* The Scenic Route (1978)
* The Herd (1979)
* The Falls (1980)
* Two Stage Sisters (1980)
* No Mercy, No Future (1981)
* Elippathayam (1982)
* Sans Soleil (1983)
* This Is My Country (1984)
* Yellow Earth (1985)
* Comrades (1986)
* Terrorizers / Yeelen (1987)
* Pathfinder (1989)
* The Fabulous Baker Boys (1990)
* On the Wire (1991)
* Proof (1992)
* Vacas (1993)
* The Scent of Green Papaya (1994)
* The Silences of the Palace (1995)
* Bob's Weekend (1996)
* The Life of Jesus (1997)
* The Apple (1998)
* Ratcatcher (1999)
* You Can Count on Me (2000)
* The Warrior (2001)
* Carnage (2002)
* Osama (2003)
* Tarnation (2004)
* For the Living and the Dead (2005)
* Red Road (2006)
* Persepolis (2007)
* Tulpan (2008)
* Ajami (2009)
* The Arbor (2010)
* Las Acacias (2011)
* Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
* Ilo Ilo (2013)
* The Tribe (2014)
* The Witch (2015)
* Raw (2016)
* The Wound (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Atlantics (2019)
* Playground (2021)
* 1976 (2022)
* Paradise Is Burning (2023)
* On Falling (2024)

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Belgian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

* Le Départ (1967)
* Palaver (1969)
* Peace in the Fields (1970)
* The Lonely Killers (1972)
* The Conscript (1974)
* High Street (1976)
* Rubens (1977)
* Woman Between Wolf and Dog (1979)
* Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven (1981)
* Minuet (1982)
* Dust (1985)
* Jumping (1986)
* The Cruel Embrace (1987)
* The Music Teacher (1988)
* The Sacrament (1989)
* Toto the Hero (1991)
* Daens (1992)
* Just Friends (1993)
* Farinelli (1994)
* Manneken Pis (1995)
* The Eighth Day (1996)
* Ma vie en rose (1997)
* Rosie (1998)
* Rosetta (1999)
* Everybody's Famous! (2000)
* Pauline and Paulette (2001)
* The Son (2002)
* Sea of Silence (2003)
* The Alzheimer Case (2004)
* L'Enfant (2005)
* Someone Else's Happiness (2006)
* Ben X (2007)
* Eldorado (2008)
* The Misfortunates (2009)
* Illegal (2010)
* Bullhead (2011)
* Our Children (2012)
* The Broken Circle Breakdown (2013)
* Two Days, One Night (2014)
* The Brand New Testament (2015)
* The Ardennes (2016)
* Racer and the Jailbird (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Our Mothers (2019)
* Working Girls (2020)
* Playground (2021)
* Close (2022)
* Omen (2023)
* Julie Keeps Quiet (2024)

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Magritte Award for Best Flemish Film

* Bullhead (2011)
* Time of My Life (2012)
* Kid  (2013)
* Marina (2014)
* The Ardennes (2015)
* Belgica (2016)
* Home (2017)
* Girl (2018)
* Patrick (2019)
* La Civil (2021)
* Close (2022)
* When It Melts (2023)
* Julie Keeps Quiet (2024)

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