Saint Omer
Directed by Alice Diop

TICKETS

$12 / $8 Speed and Alliance Française members

“Electric . . .an extraordinary work.”—Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

Young novelist Rama travels to Saint Omer to attend the trial of Laurence Coly, a young Senegalese immigrant accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach in northern France. As the trial continues, the words of the accused and witness testimonies will shake Rama’s convictions and call into question our own judgment. 

Pregnant at the time of the trial, Rama sees parallels between her experience as a child of a distant immigrant mother and what Laurence has experienced. Profoundly restrained and emotionally riveting, this courtroom drama explores the strains of motherhood, racial inequity, and postcolonial France with compassion.

Winner of the Silver Lion at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. 2022, France, DCP, in French with English subtitles, 122 minutes.  Recommended for 16+