The Dardennes and the film crew on the red carpet. (@Belga Image)
The film Tori and Lokita by the Dardenne brothers received a standing ovation for several minutes on Tuesday after its screening at the Cannes Film Festival. With this ninth feature film presented in competition, the filmmakers return with a poignant account of clandestinity, plunging into the story of two young exiles with an unbreakable bond, who have come to settle in Belgium.
“This film is for all the Tori and Lokita who are in Europe. It is to continue to demand that we change the laws in European countries for the reception of migrants and particularly young exiles“, said the Dardennes, to the applause of the public.
For the main roles, the brothers called on two young actors with no experience, Pablo Schils and Joely Mbundu, who were very moved on Tuesday by the welcome they received from the assembly.
The duo, regulars on the Croisette, have presented ten films at Cannes since 1996, the first in the Directors’ Fortnight and the nine others in competition, in particular Lorna’s Silence (2008), Bicycle kid (2011), Two days, one night (2014) or more recently Young Ahmad (2019). But also Rosetta in 1999 and The Child in 2005, which earned Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne two Palmes d’or.