Je verrai toujours vos visages

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.

Je verrai toujours vos visages is part of a recent wave of French cinema that sheds light on the public institutions' efforts to heal woes in society and help the vulnerable. Basically, the "Fraternité" in the French Republic motto "Liberté - Egalité - Fraternité."

So, if you have enjoyed watching Hors Normes, or Pupille, this movie should be a positive experience for you.

You may have read the plot. You may be concerned that the movie is too emotionally heavy. That life is already painful and you are not in the mood for a movie tackling an issue so serious. Rest assured: the movie is not all suffering. Go for it. You will learn something or two, including the value of compassion.

One element of disappointment for me is the packaging of the stories together into a movie. The movie switches between two different stories, and I was personally not convinced that there is any real synergy between them. It feels like each story was not enough for one movie, so they glued the two together. Or that the creators were keen on showing different missions undertaken by the Restorative Justice system. Likewise, the movie delves randomly and somewhat superficially at the personal lives of the public agents. We get sneak peaks every now and then that we could have done without. Too much and at the same time not enough.

In short, good story but the salt and pepper of the movie could have been better seasoned.

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").

I believe in Empathy. And compassion. And forgiveness.

Hence the first scene was strong, astounding to me.

I heard something like: "No empathy here". Well, quite intriguing moto, I thought.

I was led through the parallel processes in the movie delighted by the sheer cleanness of accuracy of its point of view as well as THE LACK OF manipulating me to drown in bitter-sweet-cheap-drama.

Nearly all scenes exhibits a great opportunity to fall deep down sentimentalism - but Jeanne Herry keeps on being focused, consistent, on course.

With great appreciation as well as thanks I got a peek to a totally new way of approach to life's bumps, obstacles, pains.

I never heard about Restorative Justice before.

It's kind of wonder for me to see a way that generates Empathy, Compassion and Forgiveness - especially inwards, toward oneself maybe even before practicing it to others.

No pun intended - why do people do the things they do? Don't they realize their actions have consequences? Quite big ones to the people they are doing them to ... too. This pits victims and perpetrators together in a room ... and it can be explosive, but mostly informative ... what happens, how self reflective can they be and become? You'll have to watch to find out.

The acting is amazing to say the least. Considering that most of the movie plays in one room, the dynamic, the script and the dialog has to work ... and it does. You also have a family side story - with the same topic of sorts. But equally heavy ... if not heavier because emotions are way bigger with this one.

There are outbursts ... I did expect more, but it is ok, it is more about substance than about effect! And it works ... it may not be a solution for everyone - but it may be worth doing a program like that ... maybe it already exists. Really good movie ... with a somewhat hopeful message.