Saint Omer
Rama, romancière d’une trentaine d’années, assiste au procès de Laurence Coly aux assises de Saint-Omer. Celle-ci est accusée d’avoir tué sa fille de quinze mois en l’abandonnant sur une plage du nord de la France, au moment où la marée montait. De cette histoire, Rama voudrait écrire une adaptation contemporaine du mythe antique de Médée. Mais au cours du procès, rien ne se passe comme prévu. C’est finalement son propre rapport à la maternité que le huis clos du procès vient questionner.
Kevin Ward a rédigé une critique
4 juillet 2025•
Centered on a trial based on a true life case in which a Senegalese woman killed her own infant daughter, Alice Diop’s Saint Omer mines this extremely unique case for some very harsh truths about motherhood, womanhood, the immigrant experience, …. and so much more. Guslagie Malanda gives an absolutely mesmerizing performance as Laurence Coly, the mother on trial. Her performance is nuanced in such a way that she vividly recounts the killing of her own daughter and yet her testimony, her demeanor, her candor have you on edge of your seat desperate for the possibility that she’s not truly at fault.
Our entry into the story isn’t Coly’s perspective. It is actually Rama (Kayiji Kagame), a writer attending the trial in hopes of writing a book about it. Rama discovers numerous parallels between Coly’s situation and her own life, and by extension the audience does too.
Saint Omer had me completely engrossed. The two lead performances are excellent and Diop’s direction is really powerfully executed. It’s a complex film that may turn off viewers looking for a more straightforward courtroom drama, but I was incredibly moved. The closing statement from Coly’s defense attorney and the acknowledging glance between Coly and Rama made for a very potent finish. Highly recommend.
Kevin Ward a rédigé une critique
4 juillet 2025•
Centered on a trial based on a true life case in which a Senegalese woman killed her own infant daughter, Alice Diop’s Saint Omer mines this extremely unique case for some very harsh truths about motherhood, womanhood, the immigrant experience, …. and so much more. Guslagie Malanda gives an absolutely mesmerizing performance as Laurence Coly, the mother on trial. Her performance is nuanced in such a way that she vividly recounts the killing of her own daughter and yet her testimony, her demeanor, her candor have you on edge of your seat desperate for the possibility that she’s not truly at fault.
Our entry into the story isn’t Coly’s perspective. It is actually Rama (Kayiji Kagame), a writer attending the trial in hopes of writing a book about it. Rama discovers numerous parallels between Coly’s situation and her own life, and by extension the audience does too.
Saint Omer had me completely engrossed. The two lead performances are excellent and Diop’s direction is really powerfully executed. It’s a complex film that may turn off viewers looking for a more straightforward courtroom drama, but I was incredibly moved. The closing statement from Coly’s defense attorney and the acknowledging glance between Coly and Rama made for a very potent finish. Highly recommend.
