In a court of law, young novelist Rama attends the trial of Laurence Coly, a young woman accused of killing her 15 month old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach in northern France. But as the trial continues, the words of the accused and witness testimonies will shake Rama’s convictions and call into question our own judgement.
Evoking the Greek tragedy Medea, Diop’s inspiration for Saint Omer was the 2013 news story of a 15 month old girl found drowned on a beach and the French mother of Senegalese origin accused in her death
Instinctively drawn to the case after seeing a photo of the accused mother taken by surveillance camera, Diop attended the trial in 2016 as an observer where she was badly shaken by the experience. Diop used court transcripts in writing the screenplay and creating the character of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), as the accused mother and a pregnant young novelist, Rama, (Kayije Kagame) attending the trial.
Diop’s superb film, her first dramatic work after a series of acclaimed documentaries, subtly, almost surreptitiously evokes complex ideas and emotions around motherhood, gender, and marginalized communities. It won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival last year.
“Based on who they are—what they experience or go through, their biographical and political history—people do not look at the film in the same way… It is dizzying for me to realize that every time. And also extremely moving.” Alice Diop, director and co-screenwriter
Startling, scary, and unforgettable. It’s the sort of thing we go to the movies for.
Adam Nayman, The Ringer
Deceptively austere, extraordinarily multifaceted, quietly momentous.
Jessica Kiang, Variety
Diop uses the story of a seemingly demonic woman to show how the workings of society have contributed to her downfall… The powerhouse denouement is a staggering insight into how colonial legacies continues to affect lives today.
Kaleem Aftab, Time Out
Alice Diop
Kayije Kagame, Guslagie Malanda, Valérie Dréville, Aurélia Petit, Xavier Maly
France
2022
In French with English subtitles
Winner: Silver Lion, Venice Film Festival
Book Tickets
Saturday February 04
Sunday February 05
Tuesday February 07
Wednesday February 08
Thursday February 09
Friday February 10
Sunday February 12
Thursday February 16
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits
Producer
Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral
Screenwriter
Alice Diop, Amrita David, Marie NDiaye
Cinematography
Claire Mathon
Editor
Amrita David
Original Music
Thibault Deboaisne
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