The winners of the 1999 Palme d’Or (plus best actress award) for ROSETTA, the Dardenne brothers’ latest won its lead actor the Best Actor award at Cannes last year. Once again employing documentary-inspired directness, the Dardennes offer ‘spiritually-infused social realism’ in this story of the strained relationship between Olivier, a carpenter and a sullen boy whom Olivier refuses to take into his woodworking workshop. Why is Francis so interested in the man who has rejected him? And why does Olivier follow him everywhere? What does he fear? At times more Dogme than the official films, LE FILS employs naturalistic lighting and eschews mood music whilst offering evocative use of handheld camera.
Le Fils
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne