Two Days, One Night (2014)

Liège, Belgium. Sandra is a factory worker who discovers that her workmates have opted for a EUR1,000 bonus in exchange for her dismissal. She has only a weekend to convince her colleagues to give up their bonuses in order to keep her job.

Directors:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Stars:

Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 40 wins & 73 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marion Cotillard	...	Sandra
Fabrizio Rongione	...	Manu
Catherine Salée	...	Juliette
Baptiste Sornin	...	M. Dumont
Pili Groyne	...	Estelle
Simon Caudry	...	Maxime
Lara Persain	...	Femme de Willy
Alain Eloy	...	Willy
Myriem Akheddiou	...	Mireille
Fabienne Sciascia	...	Nadine
Anette Niro	...	Nanna
Rania Mellouli	...	Fille Timur
Christelle Delbrouck	...	Barwoman
Timur Magomedgadzhiev	...	Timur
Hassaba Halibi	...	Femme de Hicham (as Hassiba Halabi)

Storyline

Sandra Bya, married with two children, has been off work from her job at Solwal on medical leave for depression. During her absence from work, her boss, M. Dumont, on the suggestion of her immediate supervisor, the shop foreman Jean-Marc, figures that her section of the company can function with sixteen people working full time with a bit of overtime instead of seventeen with no overtime, that seventeenth person being Sandra. Because of the global competition the company faces, Dumont decides the company can only finance the annual bonuses for those sixteen employees, which are EUR1,000 per person, or Sandra's job, leaving the decision to those sixteen. On a Friday near the end of her medical leave, Sandra learns of this situation from her friend and co-worker Juliette after the "show of hands" vote is held, the result a 13-3 decision for the bonuses over Sandra's job. Because Juliette knows Jean-Marc, who is determined to get rid of Sandra, influenced the vote by scare mongering ...

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Plot Keywords:

injustice | depression | xanax | bonus | employer employee relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Curzon Home Cinema [UK] Diaphana Films [France]

Country:

Belgium France Italy

Language:

French Arabic English

Release Date:

21 May 2014 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Two Days, One Night

Filming Locations:

Seraing, Liège, Wallonia, Belgium

Box Office

Budget:

€7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$122,403 (Belgium), 21 May 2014, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,000, 2 January 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,436,243

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,016,922

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films du Fleuve, Archipel 35, BIM Distribuzione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Olivier Gourmet: Dardennes regular plays Sandra's boss.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sandra: Hello? I was resting. Just a second. I have to get my tart out. I've made a tart for the kids. Yes, why? Tell me why. No. No, Juliette. No.
[hangs off the phone]
Sandra: You mustn't cry.

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Connections

Featured in The Oscars (2015)

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Soundtracks

Gloria
Written by Van Morrison
Performed by Van Morrison
© 1964 Carlin Music Group
avec l'aimable autorisation de EMHA
avec l'aimable autorisation de Exile Productions, Limited

User Reviews

"Cinematically realistic, resonating..."

Belgian screenwriters, producers and directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne's ninth feature film which they co-wrote and produced, premiered In competition at the 67th Cannes International Film Festival in 2014, was screened at the 42nd Norwegian International Film Festival Haugesund in 2014, was shot on locations in Belgium and is a France-Belgium-Italy co-production which was produced by producer Denis Freyd. It tells the story about a mother named Sandra Bya whom whilst dealing with illness and learning from hearsay that her job is at risk, contacts the person accused of the rumor and asks permission to start a secret ballot.

Distinctly and engagingly directed by Belgian filmmakers Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, this finely paced fictional tale which is narrated mostly from the protagonist's point of view, draws an immediate and interactive portrayal of a working-class husband and wife whom is raising their adolescent son and daughter. While notable for its distinct and atmospheric milieu depictions and reverent cinematography by cinematographer Alain Marcoen, this character-driven and narrative-driven story about a person whom whilst barely hanging on begins fighting with everything she has in her to prevent her employees from taking her work away from her, by a duo of filmmakers who remains in reminiscence for a thematically related feature film, depicts a dense study of character.

This socio-political, somewhat conversational and increasingly heartrending character piece which is set in Belgium in the 21st century and where a Belgian citizen has to locate every one of her sixteen co-workers whom has been promised a bonus and ask them to vote in favor of her keeping her job, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, rhythmic continuity, use of music, comment by Sandra : "Thank you for your support…" and the timely understated and noteworthy acting performance by French actress and singer Marion Cotillard. A cinematically realistic, resonating and ingeniously democratic narrative feature.