In what has become a familiar sight on the Croisette, Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne strolled up the red carpet to present their new film to a welcoming crowd.

The Dardennes’ latest, The Young Mother’s Home premiered early Friday evening, marking the brothers’ ninth entry in Cannes competition. The Dardennes almost never leave Cannes empty-handed.

Casual with suits and no ties (the early afternoon screenings are not mandatory black-tie), the Dardennes strolled up to the premiere accompanied by their somewhat more excited (and better dressed) young stars: Lucie Laruelle, Babette Verbeek, Elsa Houben, Janaïna Halloy Fokan and Samia Hilmi.

Warm, enthusiastic applause rolled over the auditorium in waves as the film credits rolled, and the Dardennes embraced their co-stars. The young actresses wiped away tears. Laruelle, who plays Perla in the film, was visibly shaking with emotion, before joining her co-stars in a group hug. The film, while containing all of the raw realism the Dardenne’s are known for, is also uncharacteristically warm and optimistic, touches that left the Cannes audience smiling on their way to the exits.

French director Luc Besson and Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont (Closer) were also at the premiere.

Twice the Dardennes have gone home with the Palme d’Or — for Rosetta (1999) and L’Enfant (2005) — and their festival trophy case includes best director honors for Young Ahmed (2019), the Grand Jury Prize for The Kid With a Bike (2011), best screenplay for Lorna’s Silence (2008), and, for Tori and Lokita in 2022, a special prize honoring Cannes’ 75th anniversary.

The Young Mother’s Home is another slice of Belgian social realism from Dardennes. Set in a shelter for young mothers, the film follows five women — Jessica, Perla, Julie, Naïma, and Ariane — as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood while striving for a better future for themselves and their children. The cast features Lucie Laruelle, Babette Verbeek, Elsa Houben, Janaïna Halloy Fokan, and Samia Hilmi, with India Hair portraying a key supporting role.