The André Cavens Award () is an accolade presented annually by the Belgian Film Critics Association (UCC), an organization of film critics from publications based in Brussels. The André Cavens Award was introduced in 1976 by the organizing committee to honor cinematic achievement in Belgium. The name of the award comes from film director André Cavens.
The most awarded filmmakers are Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne with six awards, followed by Jaco Van Dormael, Joachim Lafosse, and Fien Troch with three. Other multiple winners are Jean-Jacques Andrien, André Delvaux, and Lukas Dhont with two awards each. As of 2025, Young Mothers is the most recent winner.
Winners 1970s Year English title Original title Director(s) 1976 The Son of Amir Is Dead Le Fils d'Amr est mort Jean-Jacques Andrien 1977 In the Name of the Führer In naam van de Fuehrer Lydia Chagoll 1978 Les Rendez-vous d'Anna Chantal Akerman 1979 Woman Between Wolf and Dog Een vrouw tussen hond en wolf André Delvaux
1980s Year English title Original title Director(s) 1980 My Name Is Anna Magnani Io sono Anna Magnani Chris Vermorcken 1981 Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven Jean-Jacques Andrien 1982 Le Lit Marion Hänsel 1983 Brussels by Night Marc Didden 1985 Permeke Patrick Conrad and Henri Storck 1986 The van Paemel Family Het gezin van Paemel Paul Cammermans 1987 Wedding in Galilee Urs al-Jalil Michel Khleifi 1988 The Abyss L'Œuvre au noir André Delvaux 1989 Wait Until Spring, Bandini Dominique Deruddere
1990s Year English title Original title Director(s) 1990 Monsieur Jean-Philippe Toussaint 1991 Toto the Hero Toto le Héros Jaco Van Dormael 1992 Man Bites Dog C'est arrivé près de chez vous Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel and Benoît Poelvoorde 1993 Just Friends Marc-Henri Wajnberg 1994 The Sexual Life of the Belgians La Vie sexuelle des Belges 1950–1978 Jan Bucquoy 1995 Manneken Pis Frank Van Passel 1996 La Promesse Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne 1997 Gabriel's Dream Le rêve de Gabriel Anne Lévy-Morelle 1998 Rosie Patrice Toye 1999 Rosetta Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
2000s Year English title Original title Director(s) 2000 Lijmen/Het Been Robbe De Hert 2001 No Man's Land Ničija zemlja Danis Tanović 2002 The Son Le Fils Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne 2003 On the Run Cavale Lucas Belvaux An Amazing Couple Un couple épatant After Life Après la vie 2004 Gilles' Wife La Femme de Gilles Frédéric Fonteyne 2005 L'Enfant Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne 2006 The Only One Vidange perdue Geoffrey Enthoven 2007 Private Property Nue propriété Joachim Lafosse 2008 Eldorado Bouli Lanners 2009 Unspoken Fien Troch
2010s Year English title Original title Director(s) 2010 Mr. Nobody Jaco Van Dormael 2011 Bullhead Rundskop Michaël R. Roskam 2012 Our Children À perdre la raison Joachim Lafosse 2013 Kid Fien Troch 2014 Two Days, One Night Deux jours, une nuit Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne 2015 The Brand New Testament Le Tout Nouveau Testament Jaco Van Dormael 2016 After Love L'Économie du couple Joachim Lafosse 2017 Home Fien Troch 2018 Girl Lukas Dhont 2019 Our Mothers Nuestras madres César Díaz
2020s Year English title Original title Director(s) 2020 Adoration Fabrice Du Welz 2021 Playground Un monde Laura Wandel 2022 Close Lukas Dhont 2023 Love According to Dalva Dalva Emmanuelle Nicot 2024 Night Call La nuit se traîne Michiel Blanchart Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat Johan Grimonprez 2025 Young Mothers Jeunes mères Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Multiple winners Eight directors or co-directors have won the award multiple times. Three of them () have also received a nomination for the Grand Prix.
Number of wins Director(s) Films 6 Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne La Promesse (1996),Rosetta (1999),The Son (2002),L'Enfant (2005),Two Days, One Night (2014),Young Mothers (2025) 3 Jaco Van Dormael Toto the Hero (1991),Mr. Nobody (2010),The Brand New Testament (2015) Joachim Lafosse Private Property (2007),Our Children (2012),After Love (2016) Fien Troch Unspoken (2009),Kid (2013),Home (2017) 2 Jean-Jacques Andrien The Son of Amir Is Dead (1976),Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven (1981) André Delvaux Woman Between Wolf and Dog (1979),The Abyss (1988) Lukas Dhont Girl (2018),Close (2022)
References
External links André Cavens Award at RTBF