Director Jacques Audiard’s follow-up to his acclaimed Oscar-winner A Prophet, Rust & Bone is a harrowing drama starring Marion Cotillard and impressive newcomer Matthias Schoenaerts.

Cotillard plays Stéphanie, a killer whale trainer who suffers a terrible accident.

Her life takes a turn for the better when she befriends Alain (Schoenaerts), a troubled street fighter struggling to raise his young son.

Screened in competition at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, Rust & Bone was lauded as a passionate drama that refuses to succumb to convention.

Cotillard in particular was singled out for praise for her affecting turn as Stéphanie – a performance that never strays into melodrama.

Rust & Bone opens in cinemas on 2 November 2012. Will you check it out? Tell us below.