Saint Omer * * *

The weirdest thing about this film is that soon after commencement the main protagonist takes the rear seat.  

We are given a brief introduction to Rama: We see her giving a lecture on the film Hiroshima Mon Amour and making assumptions about the screenplay by Marguerite Duras that I would never make, but we get the message - this film is going to be about women and Rama is our girl.

We see Rama at a family dinner in which they all complain that poor old Mum is hard work for them - not much fun, needy and dependent.  We also learn Rama is married to a happy-go-lucky muso.  Everyone asks Rama about the book she is working on.

The next day Rama goes off to court.  This is where the "secondary" story kicks in and becomes the dominant story.  Rama sits in a courtroom where a woman is on trial for killing her own infant child.  Rama is writing a book on her. 

Rama and Laurence.. Not the Nanny you want.

Now all our focus is on the defendant, Laurence Coly. The judge reads out what she has been charged with and what lead to her arrest. Laurence Coly denies none of it.  When asked why she did such a thing, she says she does not know, but hopes the trial will enlighten her.

We learn Laurence Coly was originally from Africa, from Senegal.  She is educated, intelligent - and yet she believes in sorcery and that a curse was put upon her. The father of the child was an artist.  A much older man whom she was living with.  As a summoned witness he comes across as weak and confused.

For the next hour the trial is quite fascinating to listen to and were it not for the odd close-up of Rama sitting in court, we could have almost forgotten about her.  

However, there is another woman in the court - the mother of Laurence Cody. Her and Rama lunch together, over which she tells Rama something about herself that no one other than Rama knows. Is she psychic or is this just a woman's intuition?

Later there is a scene of Rama sitting in her hotel room looking at a film on her laptop - Medea. (Yes, well, the reference was inevitable. It was just a matter of how and when.)

Then it's back to court and further questioning of Laurence Coly and a very powerful speech by the defense barrister in which she refers to some kind of gene going through women's bodies. I don't know if its true of not but it was certainly persuasive. Had me on the edge of my seat. "Really?!" I thought. 

Then Rama goes home again and thinks a bit differently about her grumpy old Mum.

This is the first feature film from director Alice Diop, but she has done a few documentaries. At times one feels that is what we are looking at with this film.

Other than the name changes it is a true story. I'm not sure if this film works in its own right or simply because the trial is fascinating. Apparently a lot of the dialogue is just as it was spoken in court, and the court scenes make up about eighty percent of this movie.  Beyond that, we have the uninteresting Rama with her mostly unanimated face. 

Even the Medea reference (which had to happen) was addressed by Rama watching Pasolini's version of Medea.  (He should get a credit for directing that bit). 

Seen at the French Film Festival 23.