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Saint Omer

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Saint Omer

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Summary

Courtroom drama starring Kayije Kagame and Guslagie Malanda. Novelist Rama travels to Saint-Omer to watch the trial of a Senegalese student, Laurence Coly, who is accused of murdering her infant daughter. As the case proceeds, Rama draws disturbing connections between her own life in France and that of the defendant.

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Trevor Johnston

Titled after the small Pas-de-Calais town where its story unfolds, this French courtroom drama tackles the confounding circumstances surrounding the drowning of a baby by her young Senegalese mother. Attending the proceedings is novelist and lecturer Kayije Kagame, but has she been drawn there out of morbid curiosity, or does the tragedy have a deeper resonance relating to her own background? At the heart of the film is the performance of Guslagie Malanda as the woman standing accused, whose often contradictory testimony is riveting in its obfuscation. This debut feature from former documentary-maker Alice Diop offers no easy answers and invites us to decide just what could have led to the poor infant's fate: the demands of motherhood, social exclusion, xenophobia or even psychosis. Delivered with laser-like intensity, Saint Omer makes for rewarding and deeply compassionate viewing.

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6.7/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameRamaKayije KagameLaurence ColyGuslagie MalandaLe Présidente du tribunalValérie DrévilleMaître VaudenayAurélia PetitLuc DumontetXavier MalyAdrienThomas de Pourquery

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Crew

rolenameDirectorAlice Diop

Details

Theatrical distributor

Picturehouse Entertainment

Released on

2023-02-03

Languages

Wolof | Italian | French

Guidance

Swearing, sexual references

Formats

Colour

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