Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne wrote and directed 'Rosetta', winner of the Palm d'Or at Cannes in 1999, a film about an adolescent girl who's existence is being crushed by the weight of her mother's depression and alcoholism. Rosetta carries the burden of what little is left of her dysfunctional family and aspires to get a job, her own place, to live a normal life, to find freedom; then one day, she meets a young man who is willing to help her. This simple story is put together with an intimate, naturalistic style. Rather than resort to any kind of crude symbolism, the directors apply minimalism and keep their focus on the girl's tender needs and desires, and the roughness of her upbringing. The film soars thanks in great part to the excellent performance of Émilie Dequenne, who won the prize for Best Actress at Cannes that year. Her facial expressions, her posture, even the way she scurries around from place to place, like a raccoon or some other wild animal, all convey the pain, despair, anger and shame that are eating her.
While the film is emotionally demanding, the economy of its narrative provides a certain lightness. Also, it's nice that it clocks out at 95 minutes, so it doesn't feel overly long.
Review of Rosetta
