Two Days, One Night

Two Days, One Night is a 2014 Belgian-French-Italian drama film directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, starring Marion Cotillard as Sandra Bya, a young woman who attempts to save her job, with the support of her husband Manu Bya, played by Fabrizio Rongione, and her colleague Julien, played by Olivier Gourmet. The film premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or, and was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. The film received critical acclaim, with many praising the performances of Marion Cotillard and the direction of the Dardenne brothers, who are known for their work on films such as Rosetta and The Kid with a Bike.

Plot

The film follows Sandra Bya, a young woman who works at a solar panel factory, Solwal, in Seraing, a city in Wallonia, Belgium. After a period of depression, Sandra Bya returns to work, only to find out that her colleagues have voted for her to be laid off, in exchange for a bonus, as part of a plan devised by the company's management, led by Baptiste, played by Pili Groyne's father, Olivier Gourmet's colleague, Baptiste's friend, Timur Magomedgadzhiev's acquaintance, Moussa Maaskri's co-star, Rachid Bouchareb's collaborator, Mathieu Kassovitz's fellow director, Cédric Kahn's peer, Arnaud Desplechin's contemporary, Laurent Cantet's colleague, and Abdellatif Kechiche's friend. With the help of her husband Manu Bya and her colleague Julien, Sandra Bya sets out to convince her colleagues to change their vote, and save her job, by visiting them over the course of a weekend, meeting people like Alphonse, played by Serge Riaboukine, and Mireille, played by Catherine Salée, who work at companies like ArcelorMittal and Carrefour. Along the way, she meets various people, including Anne, played by Christelle Cornil, and Jean-Marc, played by Jean-Marc Pichon, who work at institutions like University of Liège and Haute École Charlemagne.

Production

The film was directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, who are known for their work on films such as The Promise and L'Enfant. The screenplay was written by the Dardenne brothers, in collaboration with Marion Cotillard and Fabrizio Rongione, who also star in the film. The film was produced by Denis Freyd and André Logie, who have worked on films such as The Son and La Promesse, and was shot on location in Seraing, Belgium, with the help of the Wallonia region, and the support of institutions like Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge. The film's cinematography was handled by Alain Marcoen, who has worked on films such as The Kid with a Bike and Rosetta, and the editing was done by Marie-Hélène Dozo, who has worked on films such as L'Enfant and The Son.

Cast

The film features a cast of actors, including Marion Cotillard as Sandra Bya, Fabrizio Rongione as Manu Bya, and Olivier Gourmet as Julien. The cast also includes Pili Groyne as Estelle, Simon Caudry as Maxime, and Alphonse as Serge Riaboukine. The film also features appearances by actors such as Catherine Salée as Mireille, Christelle Cornil as Anne, and Jean-Marc Pichon as Jean-Marc, who have worked on films such as A Piece of Sky and The Ax, and have collaborated with directors like Benoît Jacquot and Costa-Gavras.

Release

The film was released in 2014, and premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. The film was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, and was released in theaters in France, Belgium, and other countries, with the support of distributors like Diaphana Films and Lumière. The film received critical acclaim, with many praising the performances of Marion Cotillard and the direction of the Dardenne brothers, who have worked with actors like Émilie Dequenne and Jérémie Renier, and have collaborated with institutions like Cannes Film Festival and European Film Academy.

Reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising the performances of Marion Cotillard and the direction of the Dardenne brothers. The film holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%, based on reviews from critics such as Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, A.O. Scott of The New York Times, and Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter. The film was also nominated for several awards, including the Palme d'Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and the Magritte Award for Best Film at the 6th Magritte Awards, where it competed with films like The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears and All Cats Are Grey. The film won several awards, including the Syndicate of French Critics award for Best Film, and the National Society of Film Critics award for Best Actress, which was awarded to Marion Cotillard for her performance in the film, and for her work in films like Rust and Bone and The Immigrant, directed by Jacques Audiard and James Gray.

Category:2014 films