Facing the Responsibility of Parenthood in the Films of the Dardenne Brothers

This article analyzes the way the films of Belgian writer-directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne portray characters taking responsibility for children and children allowing others to take responsibility for them. Though the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas provides a starting point, this article focuses primarily on a close reading of the Dardennes' films themselves. It argues that these films illuminate the nature of parenthood and suggest a unified definition of parenthood that encompasses both biological parenthood and adoption. In both cases a parent is one who has acquired a unique responsibility toward a child grounded in the vulnerability of the child.