Saint Omer

Saint Omer is a 2022 French film directed by Alice Diop starring Kayije Kagame as Rama, a novelist who attends the trial of Laurence Coly (played by Guslagie Malanda) a mother who is accused of murdering her baby. Right off the bat, what really works for this film is its unique approach to the true-crime perspective. The cinematography Claire Marthon conducts during the court scenes work well primarily because the tradition French trial can be a lot more dramatic than one may be used to as direct questioning can not only come from prosecutors and defense attorneys but also from judges as the narrative unfolds in an interrogated way. The shots in the courthouse are by far the film’s strongest asset. It has clear and detailed, long, and slow camera shots that rely on slow burn pauses to emotionally impact the audience. Inspired by a real case of Fabienne Kabou, the film can be very raw and almost too blunt at times. Malanda does an excellent job capturing Laurence’s isolation through her dialogue and monologues with graceful line delivery and emotionally-packed facial expressions. Even the character’s attire regarding what she is and isn’t wearing is very telling of how invisible or unnoticeable she feels and is. Another thing that helps captivate attention is the parallels between Rama and Laurence. The similarities are very uncanny and help humanize Laurence despite the crime because Rama’s life mirrors so much of what Laurence’s was. Similar backgrounds, similar situations, similar relationships etc. It feels as though Rama is compelled to see the trial through and the film subtly depicts the parallels without having to overtly flaunt them in your face. It is implied that Rama herself has a complex relationship with her immigrant mother. This is mirrored through Laurence’s experience as an immigrant, a mother, and someone with strained familial relationships. The film does a good job of highlighting the extreme complexity of the maternal bond and motherhood. Despite the horrific crime that is committed, the film isn’t trying to explain whether Laurence killed her baby but focuses more on her state of mind at the time and her background and experiences. Her monologues are very honest and to the point but equally beautiful and horrendous. Her recounting of the night she murdered her baby seems as though it is painful and is told in such a trance-like way it almost feels indifferent or without remorse. There are a lot of sustained moments throughout the film and the moments that are more visceral tend to work because of the performances. Even the jury and other background characters of the courtroom add to the bone-chilling performance of Guslagie Malanda. I will admit, the excellence of the courtroom scenes makes the other settings and scenes feel bland. At times there is an overreliance on show not tell and its these subdued moments that made me feel like the film came off as trying a bit too hard initially but I will admit the emotions are felt through the screen. It was hard to truly demonize Laurence. There is a lot of sympathy that can be stemmed from the powerful monologues that were actually court excerpts from the case it’s based on. This is a film that has been on my mind all weekend.  For me, the most powerful scene involved Rama and Laurence meeting each other’s gaze. The court scenes give powerful blows, and you can feel the uncomfortableness in the courtroom but Rama’s expression of grief and fear when she meets Laurence’s eyes triumphs over everything else. There is an uneasiness between the two women albeit it feels one-sided at times, but that tension is played with throughout the film. As I said earlier, I think the parallels between the two makes their eventual eye contact feel so haunting and eerie. Circumstantially there is an understanding between Rama and Laurence that is personified in the emotionally distraught Rama. Overall, the performances lures audiences into this legal drama that although can feel slightly ambiguous at times, is a very different attitude this generation has seen regarding true crime. I appreciated its restraint when it came to the crime itself. It frames it in a more allegorical way when it brings up the work of Medea, but it does demonstrate how other circumstances, identities and upbringings can have an impact on an individual. Lastly, I appreciate that it doesn’t necessarily try to justify the crime committed but really focuses on Laurence’s state of mind.