Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
About the Book
For well over a decade, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have produced highly original and ethically charged films that immerse their audience in an intense, embodied viewing experience. Their work has consistently won international recognition, including the rare feat of two Palmes d'or at Cannes.In this first book-length study, Joseph Mai examines the career of the influential Belgian brothers, providing sophisticated close analyses of their directorial style and exploring the many philosophical issues dealt with in their films (especially the ethics of Emmanuel Levinas). In films such as La promesse, Rosetta, The Son, and The Child, the brothers have recast their filmmaking through what Mai calls a "sensuous realism"--realism capable of touching their viewers with the social problems and moral dilemmas of contemporary society. This volume also features an interview in which the Dardennes discuss their approach to film production and directing.
About the Author
Joseph Mai is an assistant professor of French at Clemson University.Reviews
"In this masterful, efficient study, Mai reviews their canon with sensitivity, insight, and respectful objectivity. Recommended."--Choice"Intelligently argued. . . . A keenly observed account of the Dardennes' work, and whets the appetite for new, or renewed, viewings of the film."--Modern & Contemporary France
"Meticulously researched and fluently written, it makes a very substantial and important contribution to the literature on two enormously important film-makers."--H-France Review
Blurbs
"An innovative, intelligent introduction to the work of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. Mai delivers a lucid, critically engaged account of the filmmakers' influences and their own unique style."--Sarah Cooper, Reader in Film Theory and Aesthetics, King's College London
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