Jeunes mères

Set in the maternity home in Alleur, Belgium, this top level film tells the story of five young mothers in distress and their bitter struggle to get out of the rut, with the help of the dedicated staff at their shelter.

It is a quasi-documentary film, very grounded in reality but also deeply humane, carried by five young actresses (some making their debut) who have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into their roles.

The Dardenne brothers' cinema, once excruciatingly naturalistic (the accumulation of misfortunes in "Rosetta" was truly unbearable), has lost today none of its harshness but has gained in brightness. Society may be cruel to some of its children, but some of its members are there to lend a helping hand.

All in all, this is a work that makes the heart beat with anxiety and compassion, but also with hope.