Laura Wandel

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

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.

Career

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. It also won the Sutherland Award for Best First Feature at the 65th BFI London Film Festival, and received the André Cavens Award presented by the Belgian Film Critics Association. The film was selected as Belgium's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, making the shortlist of fifteen films in December. It received ten nominations at the 11th Magritte Awards and won seven, including Best Director and Best First Feature Film for Wandel.

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

Other activities

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

Filmography

Feature films

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

Short films

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

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Work Result Ref.
Belgian Film Critics Association 2021 André Cavens Award Playground Won
BFI London Film Festival 2021 Sutherland Trophy Won
Cannes Film Festival 2014 Short Film Palme d'Or Les corps étrangers Nominated
2021 Prix Un Certain Regard Playground Nominated
Caméra d'Or Nominated
FIPRESCI Award Won
Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films 2023 Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Crossing Europe 2022 Audience Award – Best Fiction Film Won
European Film Awards 2021 European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI Nominated
Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie 2021 Best International Fiction Feature Film Won
Göteborg Film Festival 2022 Dragon Award Best International Film Won
Guanajuato International Film Festival 2021 Best International Fiction Feature Film Won
Haifa International Film Festival 2021 Golden Anchor for Best Debut Film Won
International Cinephile Society 2022 Best Debut Feature Won
International Istanbul Film Festival 2022 Young Master Award Won
Magritte Awards 2015 Best Short Film Les corps étrangers Nominated
2022 Best Film Playground Nominated
Best Director Won
Best First Feature Film Won
2026 Best Film Adam's Interest Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Nara International Film Festival 2022 Audience Award – International Competition Playground Won
Pingyao International Film Festival 2021 Crouching Tigers – Best Film Won
Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2026 Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award for Best International Feature Film Adam's Interest Won
Sarajevo Film Festival 2021 Special Jury Mention Playground Won

References

  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.