The film had its world premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2016 . Sundance Selects had previously acquired U.S distribution rights to the film . Mixed critical response to the film led to the Dardenne brothers making extensive cuts after Cannes , shortening the film by seven minutes than the original cut premiered at the festival . Luc Dardenne stated that " There are several critics who are also friends who liked it a lot but thought there were certain places in the film that did n’t work very well . I believe it was that which prompted our concern . We were ready to make changes . " The new cut was officially shown in June at the Institut Lumière in Lyon , France . The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival , and the New York Film Festival on 12 October 2016 . The film was released in Belgium on 5 October 2016 and in France on 12 October 2016
2016 Cannes Film Festival
2016 Cannes Film Festival
The Unknown Girl