Flemish director Lukas Dhont has responded to the result of the Oscars. The Oscar for the Best International Feature Film went to “All Quiet on the Western Front” and not to his movie “Close”. “It’s sad we didn’t win” said Dhont speaking to reporters at the 95th edition of the Oscars in Los Angeles. “This gives us reason to do it again and win an Oscar next time!”
Surrounded by his brother, producer Michiel Dhont, actress Emilie Dequenne and young actors Eden Dambrine and Gustav Dewaele Dhont said: “We did our utmost to ensure “Close” got as far as it did. We gave our everything. We’re so proud of our team”.
“It was a great evening. We’re so happy to be here” adds Dequenne.
“It was magic. We enjoyed it so much. This gives us reason to do it again and win an Oscar next time!” notes Dhont, the 31-year-old director from Ghent.
This was the was the eighth time a Belgian movie was nominated for an Oscar in this category, but Dhont would have been the first director that returned home with an Oscar for Best International Feature Film.
Eden Dambrine is one of the young faces starring in “Close”: “I’m so happy, not that we lost but because I was at the Oscars. I saw Lady Gaga and Rihanna. I’ve even got a photo together with Austin Butler, who told me it was his favourite and that he nearly cried”.
Co-star Gustav De Waele is of the same mind: “We all expected “All Quiet...” to win, but we lived in hope. But for us to be there at such a young age was marvellous. I spoke with Steven Spielberg. That was a dream come true. My evening can’t come unstuck!”
“We’re never going back to school! Now we’ve experienced the Oscars I want to become a professional actor” says De Waele.
“I’m not interested in becoming famous” says Dambrine “but I do want to get a message across like we did with “Close””.