Ashes and Blood

Ashes and Blood (French: Cendres et sang) is a 2009 internationally co-produced drama film directed by Fanny Ardant. It was given a special screening at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.^[1]

Ashes and Blood
Promotional poster
Directed by	Fanny Ardant
Written by	Fanny Ardant Ismail Kadare
Produced by	Paulo Branco Tudor Giurgiu
Starring	Ronit Elkabetz
Cinematography	Gérard de Battista
Edited by	Célia Lafitedupont
Release date	May 2009 (2009-05)
Running time	105 minutes
Countries	France Romania Portugal
Languages	French Romanian

Plot

A widow, Judith returns to Marseille with her children for the wedding of her sister-in-law. Judith's husband was murdered in a vendetta-killing a decade earlier. In keeping with the Greek tragedy tradition of the film, violent family rivalries unravel with fatal consequences.^[2]

Cast

• Ronit Elkabetz as Judith
• Abraham Belaga as Pashko
• Marc Ruchmann as Ismaël
• Claire Bouanich as Mira
• Fanny Ardant
• Zoltán Butuc as Fiancé de Judith
• Mădălina Constantin
• Oana Pellea
• Olga Tudorache
• Răzvan Vasilescu
• Ion Besoiu

Reception

Libération described it as "stunning, magnificent, beautiful and dazzling". The newspaper also remarked it was a remarkable achievement for a directorial debut, continuing to praise the strength of the cinematography. The newspaper also praised the casting, "the great Ronit Elkabetz is a tremendous credit, as well as the Romanian revelation, Mădălina Constantin."^[3]