Belgian filmmaker Valéry Carnoy’s debut feature film, 'La Danse des Renards' won two out of three awards granted at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight on Thursday evening.
The film, whose title means 'The Dance of Foxes' in English, follows a young boxing prodigy whose passion falters after a tragic event.
It received the SACD Authors’ Favourite Award, worth €4,000, and the Europa Cinemas Label.
The Europa Cinemas Label is granted to enhance the “promotion, distribution, and screening duration of winning European films across the Europa Cinemas network.” It is awarded by a jury of cinema operators, aiming to provide the necessary resources for reaching a wide audience.
Carnoy, who studied at Belgium's National Institute of Performing Arts and Broadcasting Techniques, sees 'The Dance of Foxes' as an extension of his earlier success, 'Titan,' a short film that was selected at over 100 international festivals in 2021, winning about 30 awards.
He describes his debut feature film as “quite edgy” and “very fast-paced.”
The night's other distinction, the Audience Choice Award, went to Hasan Hadi for 'The President’s Cake.' This award, supported by the Chantal Akerman Foundation, grants a prize of €7,500 to the winning filmmaker.
The Directors’ Fortnight aims to highlight the work of emerging talents and to commend the creations of established filmmakers.
