The Dardenne Bros.’ brand of naturalistic, neo-realistic Belgian dramas has made them a powerful force at Cannes with two Palme d’Or victories. The duo are the second-most celebrated directors in festival history, behind only the great Ken Loach. Last year, they came very close to becoming the first directors to win the top prize three times, and that was for their upcoming film, Tori and Lokita, which opens in theaters later this month.
Keeping with their formula of simple, emotionally-grounded stories of people on the margins, Tori and Lokita centers on two African immigrant children coping with the hardships of a cruel life in Belgium.
It’s not unusual for the Dardennes to cast non-professional actors to add an extra layer of authenticity. They do so again here, as the film marks the acting debut of stars Mbundu Joely and Pablo Schils.
Tori and Lokita opens March 24th in New York, and will expand from there.
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.