L'enfant (2005)

Directors:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Luc Dardenne

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne (writer)
Luc Dardenne (writer)

Release Date:

14 September 2005 (Belgium)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Bruno and Sonia, a young couple living off her benefit and the thefts committed by his gang, have a new source of money: their newborn son.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Redemption | Money | Thief | Euro

Awards:

11 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jérémie Renier	...	Bruno
Déborah François	...	Sonia
Jérémie Segard	...	Steve
Fabrizio Rongione	...	Jeune Bandit
Olivier Gourmet	...	Policier en civil
Anne Gerard	...	Commerçante (as Anne Gérard)
Bernard Marbaix	...	Commerçant
Jean-Claude Boniverd	...	Le Policier en civil
Frédéric Bodson	...	Bandit plus âgé
Marie-Rose Roland	...	Une infirmière
Leon Michaux	...	Policier Commissariat (as Léon Michaux)
Delphine Tomson	...	La fille aux cheveux rouges
Stéphane Marsin	...	Jeune Homme
Samuel De Ryck	...	Thomas
François Olivier	...	Remy
Hicham Tiberkanine	...	Abdel
Hachemi Haddad	...	La concierge du toit
Stéphane Bissot	...	La receleuse
Cécile Boland	...	La vendeuse landau
Annette Closset	...	Infirmière ONE
Alao Kasongo	...	Receptionniste Hôpital
Mireille Bailly	...	Mère Bruno
Jean-Michel Balthazar	...	Le Barman
Philippe Jeusette	...	Le receleur show-room
Salvatore Elliséo	...	L'employé communal (as Salvatore Eliséo)
Carl Jadot	...	Ami mère Bruno
Olindo Bolzan	...	Commerçant bis
Sophie Leboutte	...	L'Inspectrice
Bernard Garant	...	Le professeur
Bernard Geurde	...	Le médecin
Claudy Delfosse	...	Le poursuivant
Clément Bouchard	...	Jimmy
Noah Brisy	...	Jimmy
Dorian Cypers	...	Jimmy
Jérémy Dal Farro	...	Jimmy (as Jérémy Dal Farra)
Saskia De Zassetsky	...	Jimmy
Victor Debon	...	Jimmy (as Victor Debor)
Julien de Keuster	...	Jimmy (as Julien De Keuster)
Benjamen Di Prima	...	Jimmy
Amandine Gabryl	...	Jimmy
Océane Goffin	...	Jimmy
Denis Gochel	...	Jimmy
Elea Landrin	...	Jimmy
Maël Lebon	...	Jimmy
Mabille Lechantre	...	Jimmy (as Maëlle Lechantre)
Aurélien Martin	...	Jimmy
Yan Muraille	...	Jimmy
Guillaume Neycken	...	Jimmy
Renaud Pirotte	...	Jimmy
Bastien Stasse	...	Jimmy
Natacha Steeman	...	Jimmy
Lou Tapai	...	Jimmy

Directed by
Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Luc Dardenne

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jean-Pierre Dardenne		writer
Luc Dardenne		writer

Produced by
Olivier Bronckart	....	executive producer
Jean-Pierre Dardenne	....	producer
Luc Dardenne	....	producer
Denis Freyd	....	producer
Genevieve Lemal	....	associate producer
Alexandre Lippens	....	associate producer
Arlette Zylberberg	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Alain Marcoen

Film Editing by
Marie-Hélène Dozo

Production Design by
Igor Gabriel

Costume Design by
Monic Parelle

Makeup Department
Simon Klonowski	....	hair stylist
Tina Kopecka	....	key makeup artist
Aurore Leglay	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Bogaty	....	assistant unit manager
Philippe Groff	....	unit production manager
Véronique Marit	....	production manager
Philippe Toussaint	....	unit manager
Yoman	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bernard Garant	....	first assistant director
Caroline Tambour	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Didier Berens	....	painter
Thomas Gollas	....	constructor
Geneviève Otte	....	property master
Paul Rouschop	....	assistant decorator

Sound Department
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Julie Brenta	....	sound editor
Quentin Collette	....	sound recordist
Benoît De Clerck	....	sound editor
Jean-Pierre Duret	....	sound
Thomas Gauder	....	sound
Agnes Ravez	....	assistant sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Hichame Alaouie	....	first assistant camera (as Hicham Alaouié)
Julien Covens	....	grip
Jean Daenen	....	additional electrician
Benoît Dervaux	....	camera operator
Amaury Duquenne	....	second assistant camera
Basile Duquenne	....	assistant camera
Wolfgang Paquay	....	electrician
Christine Plenus	....	still photographer
Eric Waldman	....	gaffer (as Eric Waldmann)

Casting Department
Barnabé Duquenne	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mylène Fraszczak	....	wardrobe
Laurence Maréchal	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Patrick Delamotte	....	color timer
Rachel Lamisse	....	assistant editor
Sophie Vercruysse	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Thomas Alfandari	....	post-production manager: France
Marie-Christine Damiens	....	press attache: France
Maryanne De Backer	....	production secretary
Philippe Groff	....	location manager
Frédérique Larmagnac	....	production assistant: R.T.B.F.
Isabelle Lecomte	....	production secretary: France
Marika Piedboeuf	....	script supervisor
Valérie Pitrebois	....	production assistant
Catherine Poels	....	press attache
Jean-François Tefnin	....	production administrator
Delphine Tomson	....	production assistant
Véronique Troyas	....	production assistant: France
Barbara Blades Turska	....	accountant: France
Francis Tyssaen	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Les Films du Fleuve
• Archipel 33 (co-production)
• Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF) (co-production)
• arte France Cinéma (co-production)
• Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Communauté Française de Belgique (participation)
• Eurimages (participation)
• Loterie Nationale de Belgique (participation)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Wallimage (participation)
• SCOPE Invest

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Aerofilms (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2005) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Dendy Films (2006) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Diaphana Films (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• First Distributors (2005) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Lighthouse Pictures (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Xenix Filmdistribution (2005-2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Amazonia Films (2005-2010) (Venezuela) (all media)
• Argentina Video Home (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Celluloid Dreams (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Movie Bank (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (VPRO) (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Other Companies

• Eye-Lite  camera equipment provided by
• B&L Lighting Services  camera equipment provided by
• B&L Lighting Services  electrical equipment
• Deux Temps Trois Mouvements  sound equipment
• Lumitre Unique  editing facilities
• Microfilms  titles
• Montage Films Thauvin  negative editing
• Studio l'Équipe  sound mixing
• Tintamarre  sound mixing

Also Known As:

The Child (International: English title)
Дитя (Russia) [ru]
A Criança (Brazil) [pt]
Barnet (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Barnet (Denmark) [da]
Das Kind (Germany) [de]
Dziecko (Poland) [pl]
El niño (Argentina) [es]
Lapsi (Finland) [fi]
To paidi (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated R for brief language.

Runtime:

France:95 min | France:100 min | USA:100 min | Argentina:95 min

Country:

Belgium | France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Belgium:KT | USA:R | Czech Republic:15 | Taiwan:GP | Sweden:11 | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | Argentina:16 | Brazil:12 | Brazil:16 (Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival) | Hungary:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Hong Kong:IIA | South Korea:12 | New Zealand:R13

Filming Locations:

Seraing, Liège, Wallonia, Belgium

Company:

Les Films du Fleuve

Trivia:

Jimmy is played by 40 different babies.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Smagsdommerne: (#3.17)" (2006)

A grueling but honest cinematic experience

I had the fortune to go see this at its Belgian premiere, which was attended by the main, and stunningly beautiful female actress, Déborah François. I found myself to be interested in the story from the start. The beginning of the film starts very simply, a young mother with a new-born baby searching on the street for what the audience presumes at the time, and is later verified to be the father of her child. The storyline then develops more as a sketch of the day-to-day living at the bottom of Belgian society. Though despite the fact a grim picture of the central couple's living situation is presented, the film-maker has not crossed the line and has interlaced many light-hearted moments into the movie.

The story develops as Bruno, the baby's father, is quickly shown to have no real interest in the baby or fatherhood, just in making money. He also is portrayed to have a genuine love for Sonya. In this sense the audience follows Brunos life, knowing not whether to cheer him or pray for his downfall, after he makes several questionable choices about the fate of his baby.

I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a simple film without Hollywood special effects, planned cinematography or any sort of soundtrack. I can see its appeal, but personally I came away wondering what exactly the director was trying to prove by making this film. He did succeed,however, to provide a somewhat entertaining, if slightly heavy film. The cast are excellent.