Las dos caras de la justicia

I have a Bachelors in Arts in Criminology. And a double in Psychology. Not many people know this about me, because, frankly, I am embarrassed because I do not use it at all in my life. I feel like I wasted my 4 years in college and have basically no career; doing basically nothing; what could have been done with a high school diploma.

But I digress.

I only confessed it now to give some validity to my next statement, which is that this restorative program between offenders and victims needs to be a real thing. And not only in France. World wide. My studies and own personal research tells me that this is real. It works more often than it does not- maybe not in the ways people want it to, but it is real progress. Kudos to the filmmakers for such an insightful premise, and to the actors and actresses for some damn fine performances all around. Bravo!

Authentic. It is the first word that comes to my mind after watching this French film. Victims and criminals meet in mediation with the aim of somehow coming to terms with painful experiences and moving on. So simple, but obviously very difficult.

The film is very good at conveying all the layers that exist in both the victims and the aggressors. It feels like a mixture of documentary and drama, but above all this film is insightful and strong in its narrative. In any case, what is striking is how important communication is. To meet, to tell, to look each other in the eye. Bearing in mind that 80 percent of offenders in prison commit new crimes (a fact in my home country), the film shows another and important angle of focus on changing behaviour. For the victims, this form of mediation means a high price, re-traumatisation and an experience of losing the little control they at least feel they have. But the way also gives them hope for change.

The film does not give any conclusion as to whether this is the right way to focus on crime, but it at least tells us that there are opportunities to move forward.

Very good character actors provide an intensity and nerve that is often missing in films today. Without them, this film's message would not have been as powerful as it is here.

The film has many strong moments, and you will certainly not sit back unmoved after watching it.

Without a shadow of a doubt I am saying this is the best movie I've seen in 2023 and I've seen a lot. Also, this is the first one on restorative justice (a program that bonds criminals and victims in order for criminals to become aware of the harm they inflicted, feel remorse and change), and it was a real eye-opener. It both opened my eyes to see the fruit of this hard work done by amazing people, a lot of them being volunteers, who believe in this system; and made these eyes cry. It takes a lot of courage and perseverance to keep going and do this work that might seem totally impossible at the outset.

I am thanking all the people involved in making this film because we need to know that this exists, that this works, and that broken lives (both the victims' and the criminals') can be mended, and start anew. Bravo! Je verrai toujours vos visages.

A major problem with the criminal justice systems in assorted countries - including the United States - is that they emphasize punishment over rehabilitation; one might say that these are criminal injustice systems. I don't know how it works in France, but Jeanne Herry's "Je verrai toujours vos visages" ("All Your Faces" in English) offers a possibility: restorative justice. This regimen features discussions between inmates and their victims.

It's not always a smooth process, as there's plenty of tension between people (especially due to the variety of races). Nonetheless, there's the chance of forgiveness and increased understanding of the causes of anything defined as crime. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but it's worth seeing. I don't know if it's available on any streaming service, so you might have to check a neighborhood video store.

The cast includes Miou-Miou and Adèle Exarchopoulos (who more recently voiced Ennui in "Inside Out 2").

One film, one theme, two storylines. A confrontation between victims and perpetrators, which should have added value for each side. The one in which people with no direct connection meet seems to bring the desired insights and peace. Naive, but perhaps. Aversion, getting to know each other, understanding. Just a film, idealistic. But at least one that literally shows its colours regarding the perpetrators of the current crime terror over Europe. Of course, the usual explanations and excuses for the escalation of character are used: poverty, education, opportunities. Yawn. Everyone chooses their own exits at the crossroads of morality. But yes, otherwise this film would certainly not have ended up on the big screen, or would have been crucified by the media instead of being showered with awards. In my opinion, the softening of concepts such as perpetrator, victim and guilt are questionable approaches and primarily benefit injustice.

The other side works less well in its catharsis. Understandably, the resurgence of all pain through direct contact with the perpetrator is an emotional one-way street.

I went to see the film because it featured some of the cinematic greats of French cinema, but I can only recommend it to a limited extent. No resonance, no added value. Nevertheless, it is a high-quality production, well acted and at least endeavours to keep its feet on the ground. If I imagine this as a German production, ouch.