ABSTRACT

This article analyses how Belgian identity is articulated in contemporary Belgian cinema. Since the introduction of sound, Belgian cinema has been characterised by a divide between Flemish and Belgian francophone cinema. However, the twenty-first century has seen an increase in co-productions between the two communities. By analysing how these intranational co-productions relate to Belgium and Belgian identity, this article explores the textual implications of this industry trend. Drawing upon the concept of ‘Belgitude’, it teases out two ways in which Belgian identity is re-imagined. Some films explicitly thematise community issues by conveying a message of solidarity between Flanders and the French-speaking community of Belgium, while others show characters that embody Belgium’s cultural complexity, using multilingualism and the city of Brussels as implicit markers of Belgian identity. At odds with the country’s political climate of increasing tensions between the linguistic communities, the revival of ‘Belgitude’ in contemporary Belgian cinema can be considered as a reaction against Flemish nationalist discourses.

摘要

本文分析了比利时身份在当代比利时电影中的表达方式。自从引入声音以来，比利时电影的特点是佛兰德斯电影和比利时法语电影之间存在分歧。然而，二十一世纪两个社区之间的联合制作有所增加。通过分析这些跨国合拍片与比利时和比利时身份的关系，本文探讨了这一行业趋势的文本含义。它借鉴“比利时”的概念，梳理了重新想象比利时身份的两种方式。一些电影通过传达佛兰德斯和比利时法语社区之间的团结信息来明确以社区问题为主题，而另一些电影则展示了体现比利时文化复杂性的人物，使用多种语言和布鲁塞尔市作为比利时身份的隐含标记。与该国语言社区之间日益紧张的政治气候相悖，“比利时”在当代比利时电影中的复兴可以被视为对佛兰德民族主义话语的反应。