Another modern-day, neo-realist effort from the brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (“Rosetta,” “La Promesse”) from the French-speaking region of Belgium, “Tori and Lokita” tells the heartbreaking tale of two immigrant children from Africa, 11-year-old Tori (newcomer Pablo Schils) and 16-year-old Lokita (newcomer Joely Mbundu). They pose as brother and sister in a Belgian city for reasons presumably having to do with access to social services. Tori has his citizenship papers. But Lokita, who cannot prove Tori is her brother, does not, so she cannot work full time, get them an apartment of their own and make enough money to send to her mother back in Benin.
Tori had to leave the country because he was accused of being a sorcerer, and his life was in genuine danger. Tightly bonded by their shared experience, they are inseparable, and now work for Belgian chef Betim (Alban Ukaj), whose Italian restaurant is a front for a drug operation.
Betim pays Tori and Lokita, who share a room in public housing and like to sing to one another and in the restaurant, a pittance to deliver his drugs. He also gives them leftover focaccia. He is their modern-day, real-life Fagin, and he is not above coercing Lokita to provide sexual favors in exchange for cash that she desperately needs to send to her mother and five siblings back home. He is despicable.
