title: Ashes and Blood
text: # Ashes and Blood
  
  Ashes and Blood (French: Cendres et sang) is a 2009 internationally co-produced drama film directed by Fanny Ardant. It was given a special screening at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
  
  ## Plot
  
  A widow, Judith returns to Marseille with her children for the wedding of her sister-in-law. Judith's husband was murdered in a vendetta-killing a decade earlier. In keeping with the Greek tragedy tradition of the film, violent family rivalries unravel with fatal consequences.
  
  ## Cast
  
  * Ronit Elkabetz as Judith
  * Abraham Belaga as Pashko
  * Marc Ruchmann as Ismaël
  * Claire Bouanich as Mira
  * Fanny Ardant
  * Zoltán Butuc as Fiancé de Judith
  * Mădălina Constantin
  * Oana Pellea
  * Olga Tudorache
  * Răzvan Vasilescu
  * Ion Besoiu
  
  ## Reception
  
  Libération described it as "stunning, magnificent, beautiful and dazzling". The newspaper also remarked it was a remarkable achievement for a directorial debut, continuing to praise the strength of the cinematography. The newspaper also praised the casting, "the great Ronit Elkabetz is a tremendous credit, as well as the Romanian revelation, Mădălina Constantin."
  
  