Outreau, the case of Saint Omer. Why is screen justice so appealing?

worship twelve angry men by Sidney Lumet Truth, Clouzot, in the cinema, i New York, Judicial Police inclusive Murder by the series: feature-length documentaries Neither judge nor submissive documents doubts, the popularity of court cases on our screens has never faded. And it is confirmed. France 2 has just aired a four-part documentary on the Outreau case trial fiasco, and from March 8 two cinemas are moving into the exercise. my crime By Francois Ozon and You haven’t seen anything eitherBy Beatrice Paulette, with Geraldine Nakashe as a criminal lawyer.

In the video, You haven’t seen anything either By Beatrice Polle, with Geraldine Nakache, trailer

But why are they so attractive? Is it something to do with morbid curiosity? Looking forward to playing the Mustard Colonels in a Cluedo in CinemaScope? Is it our attraction to the dark side of the human soul? “Criminal cases and violent crimes are of particular interest, without a doubt, because they crystallize our frustrations, our imaginations, our fears…” explains Clarice Serre, a criminal lawyer at the Saint-Saint-Denis bar and a consultant at Engrenages. series. “We identify with the victim, we tell ourselves that this child accused of murder could be our son, we realize that sometimes it only takes one little thing to make a difference… With Ricochet, the lawyer then becomes his last hope. . to recognize the rights of all, the Zoro of justice, or conversely the object of criticism when one is persuaded to see more clearly than he does. In any case, these cases make us active spectators.

The viewer investigates

Who killed Gregory Villemin? Parents are there for something. Did Judge Lambert Overrule the Instruction? Around images from the Netflix documentary miniseries Gregory On Celebrity Disappeared from Volon, the viewer investigates this unsolved case that haunts our collective memories. “Many cases raise more questions than they answer. We are in search of truth, but rarely is judgment based on infallible evidence. It is often a story of interpretation and intimate belief that leaves the field open to the imagination of the audience,” analyzes Jean-Baptiste Thierry, lecturer in criminal law at the Faculty of Law in Nancy. “Most of our curiosity is aroused by what is beyond the scope, what we do not understand, what escapes us from human nature,” adds psychiatrist Daniel Zaguri.

Courtrooms are incomparable sociological material and, in fact, an inexhaustible source of fiction.

Anne-Landois

In Saint-OmerAlice Diop is involved in a trial for infanticide based on the case of doctoral student Fabien Kaku, who drowned her baby by leaving it on the beach at low tide. “There is a double movement of attraction-repulsion for these cases,” analyzed Dr. Zagouri, an expert on the trial of the murderer in 2016. “We appropriate history because it is anchored in our known reality of parent, child, minority… But this is also accompanied by a sense of rejection because it also relates to the deepest part of our identity construction, a form of violence that we choose to deny. Basically, it concretizes the unimaginable, the repressed. Catalysts of the human psyche, the experiments not only appeal to universal emotions, but also hold a mirror to our society and its flaws, according to series screenwriter Anne Landois. gears. “Violence, the face of crime, the typology of crimes always tell about an era. Courtrooms are incomparable sociological material and, in fact, an inexhaustible source of fiction.

Dramatic tension

In addition to the heavy dramatic stakes, the formal theatrics of the court, its decor, costumes, solemnity, codes and language appeal to filmmakers and audiences alike. In The girl with the braceletStephane Demostieu filmed the trial of a high school student accused of murdering her best friend. “The trial is a play. everyone fulfills their assigned role. It is also drama, with prominent narrative arcs, such as testimonies or pleas, and the verdict. There is a parallel with cinema or series, which also call for narration, characters, dramatic tension. On the other hand, the temporality of fiction cannot be the test of avoiding boredom and creating tension. “However, I tried to leave a place of silence and invite each other off the screen through stories to transcribe the time of the trial,” recalls Stéphane Demostieu.

“In court, each side has time to speak and listen. It’s a wholesome moment that escapes the daily frenzy of our real and digital lives. Perhaps this is also what the audience is looking for. a suspended moment that invites reflection and listening. “The orality of the debates, the distributed speaking times, have the characteristic that they allow space for controversy and analysis, unlike media and digital debate, where everything is outrage,” supports Anne Landois.

Indeed, there is no need to attract the attention of the spectacular. the legal framework itself may be sufficient.

Restore confidence in justice

The format born from this observation Justice in France On France 3, thus deciphering the actual filmed trials, commented on the set. Since the media frenzy of the Dominici case in 1954, and with the exception of a few historic trials (Papon, Barbie, Touvier…), cameras have been banned in courts. In April 2022, Justice Minister Eric Dupont-Moretti reauthorized them. “The approach is educational, complementary to fiction,” affirms Dominique Verdeihan, legal columnist and host of the show. “The idea is to get out of show justice and restore trust in the institution. It is not about reviewing the trial, judging the work of magistrates and lawyers, but about deciphering decisions and language with the help of experts. It immerses you in the judicial machine with real lawyers, magistrates, accused and victims.

In addition to criminal cases and money, which will also be dealt with, the show focuses more on everyday justice through family, civil and overdraft cases… An opening that can also be found in American fiction; from the fans of Perry Masoniswhodunit “Who committed the crime” alone is no longer enough to hook. Along with the development of the education of the audience, the discussed cases are more and more diverse. crime of blood is always attractive, but combined with environmental problems ( Goliath,Dark waters…) or the right of protesters (the chicago seven by Aaron Sorkin).

A growing trend in the United States, where literature, film, and experimental series are historical genres, referencing informants ranging from Truman Capote (In cold blood) to Otto Preminger (crime autopsy) or Oliver Stone ( jfk:), passing, by the row, by the side Ally McBeal, A good woman, New York Judicial Police, Damages or the long awaited one Accused, an adaptation of the BBC format in which each episode tells the story of a defendant awaiting trial. “We all know the American declaration known as Miranda, ‘You have the right to remain silent…’ and the twists and turns of Supreme Court jurisprudence. In France, we are little familiar with the rules of our police guard or the work of the Council of State,” explains Jean-Baptiste Thierry. American law regularly invites itself into French fiction, which, due to wings or ignorance, warrants a search, even though they do not exist in France. It is also not uncommon for the “president” of the French courts to become “your honor,” a thoroughly American title. “If the American procedure is so popular, it is also because it can be more ‘spectacular’; you can show up to trial with last minute evidence, which is impossible in France. The elements that we have in the hands of the prosecution must also be in the hands of the defense when the session opens,” analyzes Anne Landois, who in her series to avoid mistakes. 66.5:The subsequent creation of Canal+ once again called upon the expertise of Clarice Serre. “Working with lawyers, I noticed that they have the same way of thinking and analysis as screenwriters: they study possibilities, tell stories. We share the same DNA. Attending the courts, I also realized that the French procedure is a real source of drama. Everything that will be said and decided at the hearing, the preliminary investigation or the questioning affects the individuals, there are stakes of life or death, deprivation of liberty…”.

It is not a matter of morality, but of law

As the public becomes more familiar with French law, screenwriters and directors are also documenting themselves more. According to Jean-Baptiste Thierry, “they go beyond the obvious, turn a priori dry legal concepts into dramatic problems and thereby instill in society this basic idea: justice is not a matter of morality, but of law.” .

If fiction is a tool for judicial comprehension, ellipses and shortcuts remain inevitable to avoid boredom. Despite the clear progress, certain stereotypes persist, especially in the characterization of the heroes. Starting with the lawyer’s face, according to Clarice Serre. “I fought for him to wear pants. gears, but i didn’t win. However, for practice, we can’t run from police custody to court in skirts and Louboutins.” Another pitfall of the genre: coordinating large courts, all waxed wood. 66.5:, on Canal+ in the spring, will willingly take the opposite view, grounding its stories in Bobigny. “The solemnity of courts like Paris sometimes lends an antiquated aspect to justice and the handling of cases,” explains show host Anne Landois. “In Bobigny, we are in a brick and metal building with many young magistrates who are often at the top. It gives a different color to justice. There is a form of freedom of speech, of familiarity, of intimacy that invites identification with another audience. What good days to provide for a genre that is more and more popular in France?

In the video,Saint-Omer By Alice Diop, verse