Belgian Actress Émilie Dequenne Passes Away at 43
In a tragic turn of events, award-winning Belgian actress Émilie Dequenne has succumbed to cancer at the young age of 43.
Dequenne rose to stardom after clinching the best actress accolade at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival at just 18 for her role in the film Rosetta back in 1999.
Her talent was further recognized with another Cannes award for her performance in À Perdre la Raison (Our Children) in 2012, and a Cesar award for Les Choses Qu’on Dit, les Choses Qu’on Fait (The Things We Say, the Things We Do) in 2021.
While primarily known for her work in French-language films, Dequenne also made a notable appearance as police officer Laurence Relaud in the 2014 BBC TV drama The Missing.
Rosetta, a poignant narrative depicting a teenager’s battle against a life of despair, marked Dequenne’s debut on the silver screen.
Having been unemployed following the loss of her job in a food factory, her selection for the role was a turning point in her career.
“The first day she filmed in front of a real camera, she managed to bring the whole team together,” praised director Luc Dardenne, who collaborated on the project with his brother Jean-Pierre.
Her filmography also includes notable works such as La fille du RER (The Girl on the Train) in 2009, Pas Son Genre (Not My Type) in 2014, and the Cannes-nominated film Close in 2022.
Tributes poured in from various quarters, with French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati lamenting the loss of “a talented actress who still had so much to offer.”
Dequenne had disclosed her battle with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a form of cancer affecting the adrenal gland, in October 2023.
Her poignant message on World Cancer Day in February, “What a tough fight! And we don’t choose…” stands as a testament to her courage and resilience. — BBC
