Love According to Dalva

Dalva, 12, lives alone with her father. One evening, the police storm into their home and take her into foster care. As Dalva befriends her new roommate Samia and social worker Jayden, she gradually comes to understand that the love she shared with her father was not what she thought. With their help, Dalva will learn to become a child again.

Keeping all the offensive exploitation offscreen in the backstory, Emmanuelle Nicot’s poignant debut feature explores the ramifications of abuse with deep sensibility and uncompromising grace, in Dalva’s journey to recovery, reconstruction and hope.

After winning 2 prizes in Cannes, Love According To Dalva swept up no less than 7 awards at Belgium’s national Magritte Awards in 2024, including Best Film and Best Director. Showcasing an extraordinary performance by the non-professional actor Zelda Sampson as Dalva.