Belgian filmmakers the Dardenne Brothers' style of deeply personal, often uncomfortable dramas aren't exactly Hollywood material, which is why you don't see many big names in their films. Landing Cecile de France for their Grand Prix award-winning The Kid with a Bike was a big get for them, but their next project has just scored an actress with unquestioned global notoriety.
Marion Cotillard, who many (like me) would say was shafted at this year's Oscars for Rust and Bone, has just joined the Dardennes' latest film, Deux Jours, Une Nuit (aka Two Days, One Night). She'll play Sandra, a woman who has only a single weekend to track down and convince her work colleagues to turn down their annual bonuses so she can keep her job. Joining Cotillard as her husband is Fabrizio Rongione, who appeared in two prior Dardenne efforts. The Dardennes' wrote the script, and it sounds like another timely character study from two of the best. It couldn't be a more natural fit, really, as Cotillard has done a superb job of balancing mainstream roles with interesting character pieces. Production begins this summer, so go ahead and slot this for 2014's international awards circuit. [The Film Stage/Screen Daily]
