Murderers and their victims' families sit across from each other. Nobody leaves unchanged.
In France, victims and perpetrators of offenses, misdemeanors, or crimes can meet and talk in secure, supervised settings. Included in the Penal Code since 2014, this "restorative justice" is intended to complement criminal justice and provide a safe space for dialogue. The aim is to enable victims to rebuild their lives and perpetrators to take full responsibility for their actions, thereby reducing the risk of reoffending. This film follows one such program over the course of a year. Amélie, a prison rehabilitation and probation counselor, and Séverine, a lawyer for a victims' association, prepare Marthe, Aurélien, Sylvain, and JF, who are incarcerated for murder or attempted murder of their spouses. They also follow Emeline, Evelyne, and Marie, victims of similar crimes.
Direction
Directors earned trust for impossible access.
Editing
Year-long arc builds devastating cumulative power.
Director
Isabelle Vayron de La Moureyre
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
France's 2014 restorative justice law was revolutionary in Europe, yet fewer than 1% of eligible cases proceed — making this documentary exceptionally rare access.
The directors spent three years building trust with both victims' associations and the prison system; several participants initially refused, then returned to filming after their real meetings concluded.
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