Directed by Alice Diop
Starring Guslagie Malanda, Kayije Kagame,Valérie Dréville, Aurélia Petit, and Xavier Maly

Has there been a more seamless filmmaking transition than Alice Diop’s legal drama, Saint Omer?

After working as a documentary filmmaker for years, this first of hopefully many feature films to come from her is an utterly compelling case that is based on a real-life court trial she attended in person.

In her shoes is new actress Kayije Kagame as Rama, a novelist and journalist who travels a few hours to attend the Saint-Omer court of law where a young and very well-educated woman by the name of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda) is standing trial for the murder of her 15-month-old daughter. Surprisingly to some, Laurence does not deny committing the unfathomable act, but attempts to justify her not guilty plea by attributing blame to circumstances outside her control that led her to that fateful day. Meanwhile, as Rama listens to and observes the defendant for the purpose of a new work project, she discovers Laurence’s story hits closer to home than expected.

It might sound and at first seem impossible to have any ounce of empathy for Laurence or care to hear how she explains the reasons behind her atrocity, but the fact Saint Omer first opens viewers minds and then our hearts is credit to the strong writing and the insights and context it provides to us. Laurence is asked to speak about her upbringing, her relationship with her parents, is questioned about the father of her baby who also takes to the stand and of her feelings towards falling pregnant and having her daughter, Elise. I’m sure viewers interpretation of this intriguing and complex character will differ. For me, this character study set largely within a courtroom was irresistible. Is Laurence merely victimising herself? Is she a master manipulator? What element in proceedings, if any, does sorcery play? Laurence’s mother, who is in attendance at her daughter’s trial, seems to back this up. Is this modern adaptation of Medea simply a film of delusions? Plenty to contemplate.

Crossing just over the two-hour mark, Saint Omer is a film whose format and content does require some extra patience from its viewers. Momentary breaks away from the case consist of flashback sequences from a time in Rama’s life. To be honest, soon after Rama is seated among other attendees at the trial, she becomes irrelevant to the film for a long while as the focus almost entirely shifts to the defendant and the case before her. By the end of the film when certain revelations are made, I felt as though Saint Omer needed involve Rama more than it does earlier in the film. Doing so could have made this aspect as equally compelling throughout. Nevertheless, and on a final positive note, I must say that little-known actress Guslagie Malanda is really well cast as Laurence. She carries an expression that invites viewers to study her deeply and possesses a piercing glance when making eye contact just one time with Rama, which was my favourite scene in the entire film.

Saint Omer is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from May 25th.

Moviedoc thanks Palace Films for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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