D'Ardennen's film had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September last year, opened the Ghent Film Festival shortly afterwards and was also selected for a series of festivals including Rotterdam, Glasgow, Cleveland and Les Arcs.
Sold abroad
Brontë's first film has also been sold to the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, where distribution company Film Movement will release the film this fall in Los Angeles and New York, among other places. Meanwhile, the US remake rights to “D'Ardennen” have also been sold while negotiations with Korea continue.
It was shortlisted for the European Film Awards
It was also announced last week that D'Ardennen's film is one of 50 feature films shortlisted for the European Film Awards. As the official Belgian Oscar-nominated film, Brontë's drama about two brothers falling on hard times could now have its shot at the Oscars.
Bart van Langendonk
For Savage Film's Bart van Langendonck, producer of D'Ardennen, this is not his first Oscar campaign, having gained experience with the nomination for Michael R. Roskam's Rundskop at the end of 2011-beginning of 2012.
Fairly Bites
If Dardenen advances in the Oscar race, it will be a rematch with Hollywood for Veerle Baetens after Felix van Groeningen's The Broken Circle Breakdown tried to cash in on its nomination there in 2014. Other Belgian nominations for best foreign language film were for director Felix Beroemd's Alles Beroemd Dominique DeRodder. (2001) and Stijn Coninckx's “Daens” (1993).
Shortlisted in December
We won't know until later this year whether Dardenen will also contribute to Belgian Oscar history. All films submitted for the Best Foreign Language Film category will be screened in the coming months by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences registered with the Foreign Language Committee. Based on their reviews, a shortlist of up to nine films will be compiled and announced before the end of December. Which films will be nominated for Oscars will be announced on January 24, 2017. The Academy Awards ceremony will be held on February 26.
