Page - 63 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 02/02

Visionary Critique | 63www.jrfm.eu 2016, 2/2, 45–66 structures of gendered and economic domination through which she fully be- comes who she is. One final aspect for gender and feminist theories to consider in the context of this film is its attention to the diversity of women’s and men’s experiences. As mentioned above, one of the issues that have shaped the development of feminist theory over the last few decades is the increasing awareness of its own bias toward the experiences of white western middle-class women and the need to include the diversity of women’s experiences in its reflections.39 In addition, masculinity is not just one thing either, but men’s studies have shown that patriarchal society affects men in different ways, too, depending on in how far they fit the mold of the ideal white heterosexual man.40 The Dardennes consistently underline the singularity of experience and exist- ence at the same time as they recognize the effect that social identity catego- ries might have on their characters. In Two Days, One Night (2014), the diversity of men’s and women’s experiences is particularly visible in the “slices of life” presented to viewers as Sandra visits her colleagues at home. Her co-workers represent a variety of ways of life in the Belgian working class, including families with Belgian and migration background, white and black, living in social housing or their own homes. Viewers are offered glimpses of their diverse material living arrangements – Sandra never enters their homes, but speaks to her colleagues on the doorstep or outside, remaining on the margins of their lives – family life and leisure activities. An even better insight into their needs and aspirations in life is afforded through the reasons they offer for not being able to help Sandra, which range from being otherwise unable to meet the needs of the family to having to support a daughter in college or wanting to buy new furniture. While from the outside, some of these reasons seem more valid than others, Sandra – and with her, the film – does not judge them: each is an expression of the dreams and hopes of individuals for the good life; after all, Sandra herself needs her job to be able to pay the mortgage on her house and to fulfill her own dream of a good life for herself and her family. The film thus underlines that any evalu- ation of the competing claims of individuals will have to depart from the actual immersion in their situation and the appreciation of their experience. The same range of forms of existence is noticeable when it comes to the representation of men and women in the film. Many of the families that we encounter with Sandra are organized – as far as we can tell – according to the model of the mother being responsible for the sphere of the home and the father being involved in activities outside the house. Furthermore, the male characters of the foreman and the factory owner can be seen as examples of 39 Cf. Cahill 2014, 27–28. 40 Cf. Connell/Messerschmidt 2005.