Theater maker Marijke Pinoy shoots main bird at Flemish Ultimas

The winners in the other categories have already been announced in recent weeks, but for the main prize it was still waiting for the official presentation of Thursday evening. The Ultima for general cultural merit is going to Marijke Pinoy this year. She embodies, according to the jury, « everything that should be art: groundbreaking, connecting and deeply human. » The jury members label her as a « cultural icon ».

Marijke Pinoy is a theater maker, director, actress and teacher at the Kask in Ghent. In 2005 she debuted as a theater director. Pinoy is also the mother of five children. Her last work, ‘ForeverenVeGem’, premiered in 2024 and is a family project in which four generations reflect on their shared past. Her sons take care of the music. According to the jury, the piece is « a wonderful illustration of its talent to bring generations, genres and disciplines together ». Pinoy could also be seen on the screen next to the shelves. Among other things, she played in ‘Ben X’, ‘Problemski Hotel’, ‘Belgica’ and ‘In Flemish fields’.

The laureates in the eleven other categories were already known. Director Tim Mielants Won the Ultima for Film and visual media. He started his career with series like Code 37 and Cordonbut broke through internationally with the third season of Peaky Blinders. At the beginning of 2024 he opened the Berlinale with Small things like thesisan international production with the Irish actor Cillian Murphy.

The Ultima Performing arts went to actor and teacher Jan Steen. He worked with leading companies, played in films and TV series, but especially as a pedagogue, he made a lasting impression according to the jury. Writer Gaea Schoeters then again received the Ultima in the Arts category. According to the jury, her work touches important themes: from existential questions about life and death to current issues regarding inequality, identity and feminism.

The vzw Kif Kif and conductor Martijn Dendievel Also won prizes. They received the Ultima respectively Socio-cultural adult work and Music. Lieke de Vry with her project Circus ID was awarded the Ultima for Circus. Also Villa Voortman (Ultima for Amateur arts),),, Studio Unfold (Ultima for Architecture and Applied Artsand) and Pélagie Gbaguidi (Ultima for Visual arts) were honored this year.

The Ultimas are an initiative of the Flemish Department for Culture, Youth and Media. Last year with Bas Smets, an architect received the prize for general cultural merit for the first time. This year the statuettes were made by the people from Plaats35, a day center for people with intellectual disabilities.