No matter what Belgian filmmaking duo Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, aka the Dardenne brothers, ever do, they will always be known as members of a very elite super club: two-time Palme d’Or winners at Cannes (that group includes Alf Sjöberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Bille August, Emir Kusturica, Shohei Imamura, Michael Haneke, Ken Loach and most recently, Ruben Östlund).
While their latest film, “Tori and Lokita” did not win the Palme d’Or prize last year, it competed at Cannes, which is pretty much the case any time the Dardennes ever deign us with a new film—it’s an instant Cannes competition title which is nothing to sneeze at. The film was, however, awarded the special Cannes 75th anniversary prize, which shows the Croisette judges are always looking for an excuse to award these exceptional filmmakers.
‘Tori And Lokita’ Review: The Dardennes’ Trademark Sense Of Urgency & Empathy Continues [Cannes]
Their latest is a tale of friendship between two youngsters from Africa that find themselves contending with the cruel conditions of their life in Belgium. The film stars Pablo Schils, Joely Mbundu, Alban Ukaj, Tijmen Govaerts, Charlotte De Bruyne, Nadège Ouedraogo, and Marc Zinga. Here’s the official synopsis:
The clip comes with an exclusive quote and recommendation from none other than cinephile and admirer Martin Scorsese. He writes:
“TORI AND LOKITA is one of the most devastating cinematic experiences I’ve had in a long time. I’ve always admired the way that Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne make movies—their mastery is inseparable from their spiritual and ethical commitment to their characters, trying to make their way through an unforgiving world. TORI AND LOKITA is one of the Dardennes’ most harrowing films, and it’s also one of their greatest.”
From two-time Palme d’Or winners Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Two Days, One Night) comes the story of two immigrants struggling to survive on the margins of society. Winner of the 75th Anniversary Prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the latest humanist drama from the Dardenne brothers is a heart-stopping thriller that casts an unflinching eye on the trials of the young and dispossessed.
It should be said that the Dardennes are usually critically beloved on each outing, but “Tori and Lokita” definitely challenged that notion, with some critics, including ours, thought their trademark sense of urgency & empathy veered a little too far off into exploitation. That said, the film does have an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, so maybe our critic was in the minority. Whatever the subjective case may be, a Dardennes film is also worth checking out, no matter what.