NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Janus Contemporaries (Criterion) Blu-ray (November 2023): Janus Contemporaries have transferred Jean-Pierre + Luc Dardenne's Tori and Lokita to Blu-ray. "Janus Contemporaries releases Blu-ray and DVD editions of first-run films, fresh from theaters, in association with Criterion." The first slate offered Jafar Panahi's No Bears, Jerzy Skolimowski's EO and Louis Garrel's The Innocent. The second wave of Janus Contemporaries Blu-rays include this, Tori and Lokita, Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch's brilliant The Eight Mountains and Hlynur Pálmason's Dreyer-like Godland. The 1080P image quality of Tori and Lokita is, likewise, excellent because it is: a) a modern film and b) has a max'ed out bitrate on a dual-layered disc. The clothing and street scenes in the film export realistic colors, handle the darkness and have strong detail. This HD presentation is solid in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Tight and pristinely clean.

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Janus Contemporaries use a robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track (24-bit) in the original French language. There are a few effects including gunfire, a bus ride, and a handful of street-level separations that are subtly impacting on the film experience. There is no score but diegetic music (part of the fictional setting) with Angelo Branduardi's Alla fiera dell'est sung by the title characters played by Joely Mbundu and Pablo Schils. Like the video - all good. Janus Contemporaries offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Janus Contemporaries Blu-ray includes a 24-minute Meet the Filmmakers episode - an interview with directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne discussing the intricacies of the production and their unique filmmaking style. Always insightful. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer. The package has a 4-page liner notes leaflet with an essay by Michael Joshua Rowin ("Tori and Lokita: No Safe Harbors".)   

The Dardenne's Tori and Lokita is about a pair of young African immigrants - eleven-year-old Tori and sixteen-year-old Lokita - posing as brother and sister. They use street-smart survival skills living in a Belgian city as they await Lokita's legal immigration papers. To exist they deliver drugs, tend to a hidden cannabis grow-op, with Lokita forced to perform sexual favors to keep her employment with the drug-lord lowlifes. It is another, if intense, naturalistic and pure cinema example from the director / writer / producer brothers about lower-class life in Belgium. Like many of their films, the conclusion ties together emotions expressed in the film with eviscerating impact. I am always left thinking about their work, and characters, for days after a viewing. Briolliant. The Janus Contemporaries Blu-ray is an important entry in their series - an essential part of any world cinema library.

Gary Tooze