In their signature style, the Dardennes have crafted yet another understated marvel of neorealist cinema. The film follows Cyril (Doret), a volatile 11-year-old abandoned by his spineless father in a children’s home. His desperate and self-destructive quest for a father figure brings him in contact with Samantha (De France), a kind hairdresser who takes him in on the weekends. Each is in a position to fill a gap in the other’s life, but the road to serenity proves to be an arduous one.
Le Gamin au vélo (Der Junge mit dem Fahrrad) | Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Belgium, France, Italy 2011) with Thomas Doret, Cécile de France. Starts February 9