Drama
Belgium,Tunisia,France,Luxembourg
La Promesse is a 1996 Belgian drama film directed by the Dardenne brothers. The film follows the story of Igor (played by Jérémie Renier), a young teenager who works alongside his father Roger (played by Olivier Gourmet) in the real estate business. Together, they exploit illegal immigrants by providing them accommodation in sub-standard living conditions and forcing them to work long hours without proper remuneration.
One day, one of Roger's workers falls from a scaffold and is gravely injured. The man, Hamidou (played by Rasmané Ouédraogo), asks Igor to look after his wife and child while he is hospitalized. Igor, who has developed a close bond with Hamidou, promises to take care of them. However, things become complicated when Hamidou is arrested and deported before Igor can fulfill his promise.
Igor is torn between his loyalty to his father and his sense of moral obligation towards Hamidou's family. As he tries to navigate his way through the situation, he begins to question the ethics of his father's business and the impact it has on the lives of the people they exploit.
The film explores themes of morality, loyalty, and the human cost of illegal immigration. It received critical acclaim for its realistic portrayal of the lives of undocumented workers and the emotional conflict faced by the protagonist. La Promesse is widely regarded as one of the Dardenne brothers' most significant works and helped establish them as leading filmmakers in the Belgian cinema industry.
