Canadian Premiere
Lokita is trying to satisfy the authorities that yes, she tracked down her eight-year-old younger brother Tori in a West African orphanage and recognized him—despite not having seen him since he was a baby—and her anxiety is palpable. She’s not a convincing witness. And indeed, Tori is not a blood relation; the pair met up on their grueling odyssey across Europe. But their bond runs deeper than mere opportunism. In a hostile and dangerous environment, they offer one another unstinting love and support. Billeted temporarily in a state-run centre, they work nights side-by-side in an Italian restaurant, and then run “errands” (drugs) for the chef.
The Dardenne brothers work with such consistency at the highest level (Two Days, One Night; The Kid with a Bike; L’enfant), there is a temptation to take their films for granted. That would be a mistake. When so much of cinema is dominated by escapist fantasies of power and strength, the Dardennes have grounded their stories in social realism and empathy for the vulnerable and the weak. Their latest ratchets up the tension and pummels the heart.
Media Partner
Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
Pablo Schils, Joely Mbundu, Alban Ukaj, Tijmen Govaerts, Charlotte De Bruyne, Nadège Ouedraogo, Marc Zinga
Belgium
2022
In French with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Richest Woman in the World
Isabelle Huppert plays cosmetics CEO Marianne in this teasingly ambivalent satire inspired by the Bettancourt Affair, when L'Oreal heir Francoise Bettancourt scandalized France by frittering away her fortune on a notorious celebrity photographer.
Departures
Two lads meet at an airport gate and begin monthly trips to Amsterdam together. Their chemistry is off the charts, but it's Jake who's calls the shots while Benji is the one who's emotionally invested. Comparisons to Pillion and Trainspotting are on mark.
The Python Hunt
Strange but true: the Florida Everglades are overrun with unwanted visitors. Not tourists, but invasive Burmese pythons decimating the local critters. The state's solution: an annual contest: $10 000 to whomever bags the most snakes in ten days.
Mistura
This foodie film from Peru tells the story of a newly single socialite reinventing herself — and the local cuisine — after her husband has left her for a younger woman. Along the way, she finds support from unexpected places...
Credits
Producer
Jean-Pierre et Luc Dardenne, Delphine Tomson, Denis Freyd
Screenwriter
Jean-Pierre et Luc Dardenne
Cinematography
Benoit Dervaux
Editor
Marie-Hélène Dozo
Production Design
Igor Gabriel