English summary

The talented young family doctor Jenny does not respond to a late-night call at the door of her surgery in Liège. It later turns out that the caller was an unknown girl in need of help. Plagued by feelings of guilt, Jenny goes looking for answers. Her quest puts her at risk as the drama that played out is gradually unravelled.

Actress Adèle Haenel, a rising star of French-speaking cinema, is impressive as the young doctor Jenny. She gives a subtle performance. This intensifies the impact when she is confronted with Liège’s criminal underclass.

Street life plays an prominent role in the formidable oeuvre of the directing team the Dardenne brothers. Consider, for example, masterpieces like ‘Rosetta’ (1999), ‘L’Enfant’ (2005), ‘Le Silence de Lorna’ (2008) and ‘Le Gamin au Vélo’ (2011). Their latest drama La Fille Inconnue, which has been nominated for this year’s Golden Palm, is no exception. Yet again their socially engaged realism, which the Dardennes seem to have patented, remains unsurpassed.