Film: La fille inconnue

An unusual number of journalists at the Cannes Film Festival were disappointed in the Dardenne brothers' new film. But don't worry about that. La fille inconnue is a perfect fit for the remarkable careers that the Belgian masters have had since La promesse.

There is not a milligram of sentiment or coquetry in their Bressonian almost-thriller about a young GP (an ascetic performance by Adèle Haenel) who has a moral epiphany following an irreparable mistake. She puts herself in harm's way to go to extreme lengths to discover the identity of the unknown African girl who was found dead a stone's throw from her office. Crime and punishment, rediscovering humanity, taking responsibility, and being able to look the other in the eye: thematically, we are on familiar but by no means exhausted terrain. Their style is so sober and meticulous and the moral complexity of their stories is so staggering, that these are invitations to reflect and be authentic humans.

BE, 2016, dir: Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, act: Adèle Haenel, Jérémie Renier, 105 min
Le Stockel, UGC De Broukère, UGC Gulden Vlies/Toison d'Or, Vendôme