Le Silence de Lorna / Lorna's Silence (2008)

I think that Lorna's Silence is the first Belgian movie I've ever seen. In Bruges was set there, but Lorna's Silence is set there and originated there. It stars the lovely Jérémie Renier and newcomer Arta Dobroshi, who is great as the titular Lorna. The drama involves Albanian-born Lorna, who marries Renier's drug-addicted Claudy in order to become a Belgian national, she then intends to make Claudy overdose so that, widowed, she can marry a Russian, to allow him to become a Belgian national. Money motivates Lorna to get involved with these marriages of convenience, but she unexpectedly begins to have feelings for Claudy and tries to help him kick his drug habit. This doesn't go over well with Lorna's associate, Fabio. Lorna wishes to divorce Claudy rather than have him killed, but unforunately she is unable to stop Fabio carrying out the original plan. 

The silence of the title I presume refers to how Lorna must suffer along with Fabio's plan, particularly after Claudy is unexpectedly killed off screen - the first the viewer is alerted to Claudy's death is through Lorna taking clothes to the morgue for him to be buried in. It's clear that the money that motivated Lorna and her boyfriend is not match for the emotions that her grief and guilt over Claudy awakens. This is a heavy film, with strong performances from the cast, particularly Dobroshi, who puts a lot into Lorna's silences. Naturally there is no real happy ending, and I wouldn't watch the movie again, but it was a strong, effective movie all the same.