The talented actress was celebrated for her remarkable performances in films like Rosetta and À Perdre la Raison, winning prestigious awards and leaving an indelible mark on francophone cinema.
Émilie Dequenne, Celebrated Belgian Actress, Passes Away at 43
Émilie Dequenne, Celebrated Belgian Actress, Passes Away at 43
Renowned actress and Cannes winner Émilie Dequenne has tragically succumbed to cancer at the age of 43.
Award-winning Belgian actress Émilie Dequenne has passed away from cancer, leaving her fans and the film community in mourning at the age of 43. Best known for her compelling performances, Dequenne gained international recognition early in her career when she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in the film *Rosetta* in 1999, at just 18 years old.
Her career continued to flourish, and she garnered another accolade at Cannes for the film *À Perdre la Raison* (Our Children) in 2012. Moreover, she earned a prestigious César award, one of France's highest film honors, for her performance in *Les Choses Qu'on Dit, les Choses Qu'on Fait* (The Things We Say, the Things We Do) in 2021.
Though she predominantly acted in French-language films, Dequenne also portrayed police officer Laurence Relaud in the BBC drama series *The Missing*, which aired in 2014. Her breakout role in *Rosetta*, a poignant story about a teenager striving to break free from a life of struggle, was particularly significant, as she had been unemployed before landing the role, having lost her job at a food factory.
Luc Dardenne, who co-directed *Rosetta*, remembered her fondly, stating, "The first day she filmed in front of a real camera, she managed to bring the whole team together. It got better and better as the shoot progressed... She was magnificent and the film owes a lot to her."
Dequenne was last seen on the Cannes red carpet during the festival in 2022, demonstrating her lasting connection to the cinema community. Among those mourning her loss is French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, who expressed: "Francophone cinema has lost, too soon, a talented actress who still had so much to offer."
In October 2023, Dequenne revealed she was battling adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a cancer of the adrenal gland. In one of her final social media posts, she shared a poignant message for World Cancer Day in February, stating, "What a tough fight! And we don't choose..." Émilie Dequenne's contributions to film will be remembered and cherished by audiences worldwide.
