View source for La Promesse

{{Short description|1996 film by the Dardenne brothers}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = La Promesse
| image          = La Promesse poster.jpg
| caption        = Film poster
| director       = [[Jean-Pierre Dardenne]]<br>[[Luc Dardenne]]
| writer         = [[Jean-Pierre Dardenne]]<br>[[Luc Dardenne]]<br>Léon Michaux<br>Alphonse Badolo
| starring       = [[Jérémie Renier]]<br>[[Olivier Gourmet]]<br>[[Assita Ouedraogo]]
| music          = Jean-Marie Billy <br> Denis M'Punga 
| cinematography = Alain Marcoen  
| editing        = [[Marie-Hélène Dozo]]
| studio         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Eurimages]]<ref name="unifrance">{{Cite web |title=The Promise de Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne |url=https://en.unifrance.org/movie/13583/the-promise |access-date=6 June 2023 |website=[[Unifrance]] |archive-date=11 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511122104/https://en.unifrance.org/movie/13583/the-promise |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Les Films du Fleuve]]<ref name="unifrance"/>
* [[RTBF]]<ref name="unifrance"/>
* Samsa Film<ref name="unifrance"/>
* Touza Productions<ref name="unifrance"/>
}}
| distributor    = {{Plainlist|
* Cinélibre {{small|(Belgium)}}<ref name="unifrance"/>
* ARP Sélection {{small|(France)}}<ref name="unifrance"/>
}}
| released       = {{film date|df=yes|1996|05||[[1996 Cannes Film Festival|Cannes]]|1996|10|09|Belgium|ref2=<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Promise |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/film/401470/ |access-date=6 June 2023 |website=[[Cineuropa]] |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925115053/https://cineuropa.org/en/film/401470/ |url-status=live }}</ref>|1996|10|16|France|ref3=<ref name="unifrance"/>}}
| runtime        = 90 minutes<ref name="unifrance"/>
| country        = {{Plainlist|
* Belgium<ref name="unifrance"/>
* Luxembourg<ref name="unifrance"/>
* Tunisia<ref name="unifrance"/>
* France<ref name="unifrance"/>
}}
| language       = French
| budget         = €1.5 million<ref name="JP">{{cite web|url=http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=3774|title=La Promesse|work=JP's Box-Office|access-date=6 June 2023|archive-date=21 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421175219/http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=3774|url-status=live}}</ref>
| gross          = $2.8 million<ref name="JP"/>
}}

'''''La Promesse''''' ({{literal translation|"The Promise"}}) is a 1996 [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written and directed by the [[Belgium|Belgian]] brothers [[Luc Dardenne]] and [[Jean-Pierre Dardenne]], starring [[Jérémie Renier]] and [[Olivier Gourmet]]. The film had its world premiere in the [[Directors' Fortnight]] section parallel to the [[1996 Cannes Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Turan |first=Kenneth |date=30 May 1997 |title=Moral Rebellion at Heart of 'La Promesse' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-30-ca-63754-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=6 June 2023 |archive-date=13 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513053928/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-30-ca-63754-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was shot in chronological order.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Talbot |first=Margaret |date=31 December 2012 |title=The Best in Old Movies |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-best-in-old-movies |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Do The Dardennes Shoot Their Films (Including "Two Days, One Night") Sequentially? |url=https://the-take.com/read/why-do-the-dardennes-shoot-their-films-including-two-days-one-night-sequentially |access-date=6 June 2023 |website=The Take|date=28 January 2015 }}</ref>

==Plot==
The plot involves a father, Roger, who mercilessly trafficks and exploits undocumented immigrants. His son, Igor, is fifteen and an apprentice mechanic, who also works for his father in his labor contracting operation. When one of their illegal workers is seriously injured at the worksite, left to die, and the death concealed by Roger and Igor, a guilt-ridden Igor must choose between his father's chosen way of life and his promise to the dying man.<ref>{{cite web |title=TCM Film Article: La Promesse |url=https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/518047 |access-date=1 February 2019 |archive-date=2 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202042021/http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/518047%7C0/La-Promesse.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Cast==
*[[Jérémie Renier]] as Igor
*[[Olivier Gourmet]] as Roger
*[[Assita Ouedraogo]] as Assita

==Critical response==
''La Promesse'' received critical acclaim. Review aggregation website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives it a 95% approval rating, based on 22 reviews, with an average score of 7.8/10.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la_promesse|title=La Promesse (The Promise) (1996)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=6 June 2023}}</ref> At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 82, based on 17 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/la-promesse-the-promise|title=La Promesse (The Promise)|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=6 June 2023|archive-date=3 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203065222/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/la-promesse-the-promise|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations==
{{unsourced section|date=June 2023}}
*'''[[Belgian Film Critics Association]]''' (Belgium)
**'''Won''': [[André Cavens Award for Best Film]]
**Nominated: [[Grand Prix (Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics)|Grand Prix]]
*'''[[César Awards]]''' (France)
**Nominated: [[César Award for Best Foreign Film|Best Foreign Film]]
*'''[[Los Angeles Film Critics]]''' (USA)<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.adam-makes-websites.com |first=Adam Jones- |title=Awards for 1997 - LAFCA |url=http://www.lafca.net/Years/1997.php |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=www.lafca.net}}</ref>
**Nominated: [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Film]]
*'''[[National Society of Film Critics]]''' (USA)
**'''Won''': [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]]
*'''[[Online Film Critics Society Awards]]''' (USA)
**Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film
*'''[[Satellite Awards]]''' (USA)
**Nominated: Best Motion Picture &ndash; Foreign Language
*'''[[Valladolid International Film Festival|Valladolid Film Festival]]''' (Spain)
**'''Won''': FIPRESCI Prize (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)
**'''Won''': [[Golden Spike]] (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0117398}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|la_promesse}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071007180930/http://www.dardenne-brothers.com/work/films/lapromesse/ ''La Promesse''] at [https://web.archive.org/web/20071007181028/http://www.dardenne-brothers.com/ dardenne-brothers.com]
*[https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2414-la-promesse-one-plus-one ''La promesse: One Plus One''] an essay by Kent Jones at the [[Criterion Collection]]

{{Dardenne brothers}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''La Promesse''
|list =
{{André Cavens Award 1981–2000}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Promesse}}
[[Category:1996 films]]
[[Category:1990s French-language films]]
[[Category:1996 drama films]]
[[Category:Belgian drama films]]
[[Category:French drama films]]
[[Category:Tunisian drama films]]
[[Category:Films directed by the Dardenne brothers]]
[[Category:Les Films du Fleuve films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Belgium]]
[[Category:Films set in Belgium]]
[[Category:Works set in Wallonia]]
[[Category:Films shot in chronological order]]
[[Category:Films about illegal immigration to Europe]]
[[Category:French-language Belgian films]]
[[Category:1990s French films]]
[[Category:French-language drama films]]


{{Belgium-film-stub}}