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Laura Wandel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Laura Wandel
Wandel in 2026
Born1984 (age 41–42)
Brussels, Belgium
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
Years active2007–present

Laura Wandel is a Belgian film director and screenwriter, best known for her debut feature film Playground (2021).

Early life and education

[edit]

Wandel attended the Institut des Arts de Diffusion (IAD) in Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and went on to work as a set designer, studio manager and wardrobe manager on several sets.[1][2]

Career

[edit]

Wandel made her feature-length debut in 2021 with Playground, a drama film following the life of a seven-year-old girl dealing with the children's and adult's worlds. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize.[3] It also won the Sutherland Award for Best First Feature at the 65th BFI London Film Festival,[4] and received the André Cavens Award presented by the Belgian Film Critics Association.[5] The film was selected as Belgium's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards,[6] making the shortlist of fifteen films in December.[7] It received ten nominations at the 11th Magritte Awards and won seven, including Best Director and Best First Feature Film for Wandel.[8]

Wandel's second feature, Adam's Interest, was developed at the 44th session of the Résidence of the Cannes Film Festival.[9] The film, starring Léa Drucker and Anamaria Vartolomei,[10] had its world premiere as the opening film of the Critics' Week section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.[11]

Other activities

[edit]

Wandel served on the jury of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, chaired by Park Chan-wook.[12]

Filmography

[edit]

Feature films

[edit]
Year English Title Original Title
2021 Playground Un monde
2025 Adam's Interest L'intérêt d'Adam

Short films

[edit]
  • Murs (2007)
  • O Négatif (2010); co-directed with Gaëtan D'Agostino
  • Les corps étrangers (2014)

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Category Work Result Ref.
Belgian Film Critics Association 2021 André Cavens Award Playground Won [5]
BFI London Film Festival 2021 Sutherland Trophy Won [4]
Cannes Film Festival 2014 Short Film Palme d'Or Les corps étrangers Nominated [13]
2021 Prix Un Certain Regard Playground Nominated [14]
Caméra d'Or Nominated [15]
FIPRESCI Award Won [3]
Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films 2023 Best Original Screenplay Nominated [16]
Crossing Europe 2022 Audience Award – Best Fiction Film Won [17]
European Film Awards 2021 European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI Nominated [18]
Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie 2021 Best International Fiction Feature Film Won [19]
Göteborg Film Festival 2022 Dragon Award Best International Film Won [20]
Guanajuato International Film Festival 2021 Best International Fiction Feature Film Won [21]
Haifa International Film Festival 2021 Golden Anchor for Best Debut Film Won [22]
International Cinephile Society 2022 Best Debut Feature Won [23]
International Istanbul Film Festival 2022 Young Master Award Won [24]
Magritte Awards 2015 Best Short Film Les corps étrangers Nominated [25]
2022 Best Film Playground Nominated
Best Director Won [26]
Best First Feature Film Won
2026 Best Film Adam's Interest Nominated [27]
Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Nara International Film Festival 2022 Audience Award – International Competition Playground Won [28]
Pingyao International Film Festival 2021 Crouching Tigers – Best Film Won [29]
Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2026 Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award for Best International Feature Film Adam's Interest Won [30]
Sarajevo Film Festival 2021 Special Jury Mention Playground Won [31]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Laura WANDEL". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Laura Wandel et Emmanuel Marre: deux anciens IAD à Cannes 2026". Institut des Arts de Diffusion (in French). 11 May 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 Hudson, David (19 July 2021). "Women Win Top Awards in Cannes". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Competition winners announced at 65th BFI London Film Festival". British Film Institute. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  5. 1 2 Van Cutsem, Eric (19 December 2021). "La sélection 2021 de l'UCC". Cinopsis (in French). Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  6. ↑ Bonneure, Kristien (21 October 2021). "België stuurt "Un monde", debuutfilm van Laura Wandel, naar de Oscars". VRT NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "94TH OSCARS® SHORTLISTS IN 10 AWARD CATEGORIES ANNOUNCED". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  8. ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (13 February 2022). "'Playground', 'Madly In Life' top Belgium's Magritte Awards". Screen Daily. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "The 44th session of the Résidence of the Festival de Cannes has been launched!". Festival de Cannes. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Engelen, Aurore (25 July 2024). "Léa Drucker and Anamaria Vartolomei lead the cast of Laura Wandel's L'Intérêt d'Adam". Cineuropa. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (14 April 2025). "Cannes Critics' Week Unveils 2025 Lineup: Sean Baker-Produced 'Left-Handed Girl,' Laura Wandel's 'Adam's Interest' Slated for Sidebar". Variety. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  12. ↑ Miranda Murray (12 May 2026), Who is on the 2026 Cannes Film Festival jury headed by Park Chan-wook? Reuters.
  13. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (16 April 2014). "Cannes: Short Film & Cinéfondation Rosters Unveiled". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "The films of the Official Selection 2021". Festival de Cannes. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Malinjod, Eugénie (8 July 2021). "Un Monde (Playground), as seen by Laura Wandel". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "2023, 29th Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Un monde". Crossing Europe. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  18. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (11 December 2021). "'Quo Vadis, Aida?' Wins Best Film at 2021 European Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Le jury du 35e FICFA récompense les meilleurs films". Radio-Canada (in Canadian French). 18 November 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  20. ↑ Mitchell, Wendy (7 February 2022). "Denmark's 'As In Heaven,' 'A House Made Of Splinters' take lucrative top awards in Goteborg". Screen Daily. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  21. ↑ Partida Sandoval, Roberto A. (26 September 2021). "Sobresale "Los hermosos vencidos" en GIFF". Semanario ZETA (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  22. ↑ Brown, Hannah (5 October 2021). "'Let It Be Morning' is big winner at Haifa film fest". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  23. ↑ Stevens, Beth (6 February 2022). "2022 ICS Award Winners". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  24. ↑ "41st Istanbul Film Festival". Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  25. ↑ "Magritte du cinéma 2022 : Deux premiers films dominent les nominations". RTBF (in French). 12 January 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  26. ↑ "'Une vie démente' wins Magritte 'Best Film' award". The Brussels Times. 13 February 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  27. ↑ "René du Cinéma 2026: On vous croit en tête des nominations". Académie André Delvaux (in French). 6 February 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "Dostojee – TWO FRIENDS has won the Golden SHIKA Award! All Summer Long has won the Golden KOJIKA Award! – なら国際映画祭 フェスティバル2022". Nara International Film Festival. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  29. ↑ "2021平遥国际电影展"观众票选荣誉"". PYIFF (in Chinese (China)). 20 October 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  30. ↑ Garner, Glenn (14 February 2026). "Santa Barbara Film Festival Winners: 'Steal This Story, Please' Takes Audience Choice Award – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  31. ↑ Vourlias, Christopher (20 August 2021). "Sebastian Meise's 'Great Freedom' Wins Top Prize at Sarajevo Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
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