Though known for their personal, intimate and raw dramas, which often feature lesser known or unknown talent, when we spoke to the Dardenne brothers last spring, they acknowledged that big Hollywood names had approached them to star in their films. "We can't say who in particular, because we may work with them, we don't know. It's up to them to say," Luc Dardenne stated. And whether or not Marion Cotillard came to them first or the other way around, this is nonetheless a massively exciting development.
The Oscar winning actress will lead "Deux Jours, Une Nuit" ("Two Days, One Night"), the new film by the Dardennes. Penned by the pair (natch), the story will center on Sandra who, with the help of her husband (Fabrizio Rongione — "Rosetta," "The Kid With the Bike"), has one week to convince her work colleagues to turn down their bonuses so she can keep her job. It sounds like a very thematically timely effort from the directing duo, and a great role for Cotillard. And while the actress is definitely the biggest star the Dardennes have ever had in one of their films, it also feels like a very natural fit, so it's a nice transition for what easily could be their biggest exposure to date.
Production is slated to begin this summer in Belgium, so we'll just go ahead and place on this on the Cannes Film Festival slate for 2014. [Screen Daily/The Film Stage]
Egads this is the most exciting film news today (if we find out RZ's blood alcohol level during the Oscars, that'd be no 2). Any Dardenne news is exciting. Throw in Cotillard and I'm there twice.
I'm so excited about this! She will help a lot getting a wild audiance for the amazing genius that are the Dardenne brothers, they deserve the biggest exposition possible and the incredible Marion will definitely give them that!
I hope they get the recognition they deserve from the academy, starting by a best foreign film nomination, at least.