Émilie Dequenne, acclaimed Belgian actress, dies at 43 after battling rare cancer
Belgian actress Émilie Dequenne, famous for her role in Rosetta, has died at the age of 43 from a rare cancer. Her legacy in European cinema will live on.
Renowned Belgian actress Émilie Dequenne, winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Rosetta (1999), died this Monday at the age of 43 due to adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare type of cancer that affects the adrenal gland.
The news was confirmed by her family and representatives, who expressed their deep sorrow at the artist's passing. Dequenne had announced her diagnosis in October 2023, and after an apparent remission in April 2024, the disease recurred, leading her to seek palliative care at the Gustave Roussy Hospital in Villejuif, France.
An Indelible Legacy in European Cinema
Émilie Dequenne made her big screen debut in Rosetta, directed by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, a role that earned her the Best Actress Award at Cannes at the age of 18. Throughout her career, she appeared in numerous notable productions, including Brothers with the Wolf (2001), The Girl on the Train (2009), and Senseless (2012), for which she won the Best Actress Award in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes.
Tributes from the Film World
Various figures from the film world have paid tribute to the actress. The Dardenne brothers remembered her as an artist of "exceptional talent and unique sensitivity." French actress Juliette Binoche expressed on social media:
"Her passion and dedication to cinema leaves an irreparable void. Thank you for your art, Émilie."
European cinema bids farewell to one of its most talented performers, whose legacy will continue to inspire future generations.
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