Belgian co-production Imago wins prize at Cannes Semaine de la Critique

22 May 2025

The Belgian co-production Imago, an autobiographical documentary by Chechen filmmaker Déni Oumar Pitsaev, won the Prix French Touch at the Semaine de la critique, a parallel selection of the Cannes Film Festival dedicated to spotlighting emerging talent on Wednesday evening.

The film, co-produced by Belgian company Need Productions and supported by the French Community of Belgium, marks the first Chechen entry ever selected in this section of the festival.

The Prix French Touch aims to "highlight the creativity and audacity of a unique cinematic gesture" and "reveal the creative geniuses who will make the cinema of tomorrow," according to the organisation. The prize includes an award of 8,000 EUR for the director of the winning film.

Imago by Déni Oumar Pitsaev © PHOTO NEED PRODUCTIONS

Exploring exile

Imago begins on Pitsaev after receiving a call from Georgia, where he is asked by his family to return and build a house on a small plot of land in a remote valley—an act they hope will end his exile. He currently splits his time between Brussels and Paris.

"By filming his own journey to Georgia, where he reunites with his broken Chechen family and dreams of building a house that would symbolise freedom, Déni Oumar Pitsaev has created a moving documentary about exile, war trauma and utopia," explain the organisers of the Semaine de la critique.

Born in Chechnya in 1986, Pitsaev grew up in Grozny, Saint Petersburg and Almaty. He later studied at Sciences Po in Paris before turning to film. He earned his bachelor's degree at INSAS in Brussels and a master's at the Luca School of Arts and is now working on his first feature film, Maspalomas.

Belgian presence at Cannes

Belgian cinema is enjoying a strong presence at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The Dardenne brothers have their eyes on a third Palme d’Or and Laura Wandel’s latest film also premiered during Critics' Week, the same parallel section that awarded Imago.