“In a time when cinema gives priority to spectacular special effects,” Mgr. Celli, who presented the award, declared, “the work of the Dardennes seems to carry in its most profound sense the idea of a cinema which confronts the spectator with the questions of life and faith, while helping him in his personal search and growth process. With a sense of propriety and acuteness, they managed to bring a series of stories to the screen, which are true parables of redemption.” He also praised the “realism and essentialism which are at the heart of their work”: “In each of their films, painful stories about injustice, solitude, abandon, stories about desperate humans ready to do anything,” the president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication concluded, “we sense the care for a concerned search for the human, forgiveness, for a real encounter.”
Even though they chose Cannes to present their Ragazzo con la Bicicletta, the brothers were no less received with honours at the Mostra. A pleasure mixed with legitimate pride, especially since their latest film is quite a success with the Italian public.
There is, however, more! Jean-Pierre and Luc already were awarded the “Premio Fiesole ai Meastri del Cinema” (Fiesole Award to Film Masters) on 8 July (in the past this prize has gone to, among others, Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Bernardo Bertolucci and Ken Loach … charming company!). Two days later, they accepted the “Premio Internazionale Flaiano del cinema” (Flaiano International Film Prize), awarded in Pescara and previously won by François Truffaut, Krystof Kieslowski, Aki Kaurismäki…)
This second trip to Italy was for the brothers an occasion not only to go to Venice, but also to Otrante for the closing of the 2011 OFFF, on Tuesday 6 September at the Aragonese castle. Jean-Pierre and Luc received the “il Riconoscimento special Città di Otranto” and gave a conference together with Philippe Reynaert, director of Wallimage and president of Cine-Regio, the association of European funds, and Delphine Tomson, producer with Les Films du Fleuve.
What an ambassadors!
