17. Two Days, One Night
Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne
Stars: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salee
Synopsis: Sandra, a young Belgian mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses so that she can keep her job.
A documentary-style drama over a weekend where Sandra (Marion Cotillard) tries to convince all of her co-workers to vote for her staying at the company. The story is very simple, down to earth (and French) — showing both sides of the story. It's a great dilemma that's gripping until the end. There are some slow moments, but overall it's definitely one of the best French dramas of this past year. — Rik Burnsting
