THE SONS aka LE FILS

Year: 2002
USA: New Yorker Films
UK: Artificial Eye Film Co
Cast: Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne, Isabella Soupart, Remy Renaud, Nassim Hassaïni, Kevin Leroy, Felicien Pitsaer, Fabian Marnette, Jimmy Deloof
Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Countries: Belgium / France
Language: French (English subtitles)
USA: 103 mins
UK: 104 mins
UK Certificate: 12A contains scenes of emotional intensity
USA Release Date: 10 January 2003 (Limited Release - New York)
UK Release Date: 14 March 2003

Synopsis

Olivier Gourmet (ROSETTA) was named Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival 2002 for his commanding portrayal of Olivier, a divorced carpentry instructor at a vocational training center whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious student.

The 16 year-old boy Francis (Morgan Marinne) is unaware of any connection he may have to his new teacher, but it is clear that the weight of the past is a heavy burden on Olivier. While struggling to maintain a professional distance in Francis' presence, he can't stop himself from following the boy through the training center hallways and through the city streets after class. In vain, Olivier tries to understand the motivations of his acts, however, as the film advances, they slowly come to know each other and the relationship between the two psychologically bruised human beings is strengthened.

When Olivier's ex-wife Magali (Isabella Soupart) is told of the boy's arrival she grows horrified, thrusting us even further into Olivier's conflicted world. Soon, the secret that binds the boy to Olivier and Magali is revealed and a journey of profound emotional and moral complexity towards the story's riveting finale begins.