We Believe You

Ιt is the day of the court hearing (in a closed chamber, with only the lawyers present) regarding the custody of two children, 17-year old Lila and 11-year-old Etienne. The mother, Alice, is trying to restrain her rage against the father, while being on the brink of collapse – the camera almost never leaving her face. A debut that premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, directed in a sensitive and anxiety-inducing manner that has no need for exterior shots. A raw suspense story with no tricks, no storytelling device, only uncompromising honesty and an astonishing performance delivered by Myriem Akheddiou, a longtime partner of the Dardenne brothers. A direct glimpse into child abuse within the family that forces the audience to step into the role of a judge, oscillate between objective and subjective truth, between horror and defense, in an immersive and merciless psychological game.