An Unflinching Look at a Broken System

Read Time:4 Minute, 50 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
We Believe You (On vous croit)
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Genre: Drama
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 18m
Director(s): Charlotte Deville, Arnaud Dufeys
Writer(s): Charlotte Deville, Arnaud Dufeys
Cast: Myriem Akheddiou, Laurent Capelluto, Natali Broods, Ulysse Goffin, Adèle Pinckaers, Alisa Laub, Marion de Nanteuil, Mounir Bennaoum
Where To Watch: shown at the 2025 2025 Berlin International Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: This gripping and deeply personal legal drama doesn’t just tell a story—it immerses its audience in an all-too-real nightmare. It is the kind of nightmare that plays out in courtrooms every day, where survivors are forced to prove their suffering while the system scrutinizes their every word. With its intensity, stripped-down realism, and deeply affecting performances, this film doesn’t just ask for your attention—it demands it.

At its core, the story follows a mother’s desperate attempt to protect her children, but instead of framing this as a dramatic battle between right and wrong, it highlights the painful realities of the legal process. The film forces viewers to sit through the slow, procedural nature of hearings, where every detail is dissected, every moment scrutinized. What should be a straightforward fight for safety turns into an exhausting exercise in patience and endurance. The emotional weight of this struggle is felt in every pause, every strained breath, and every silent plea for understanding.

What sets this film apart from many courtroom dramas is its decision to remove the usual cinematic embellishments. There’s no grand orchestral swell to cue an emotional moment, no rapid-fire editing to heighten the tension. Instead, it relies on the natural rhythm of real-life proceedings. This bold choice makes the real-time courtroom sequence feel less like a performance and more like an unfiltered window into reality.

One of the film’s smartest decisions was casting real lawyers in key roles. This move blurs the line between fiction and reality, making every argument, objection, and counterpoint feel unsettlingly authentic. The interactions feel organic, not rehearsed, strengthening the film’s immersive quality. This is not a film where the law is simplified for dramatic effect; it embraces the complexity, allowing legal nuances to play out as they would in a real courtroom. For those unfamiliar with how these hearings work, it offers an unfiltered look at just how meticulous—and often maddening—the process can be.

Visually, the film embraces a naturalistic style, relying on simple, effective framing to maintain a raw, unpolished feel. This stripped-down approach makes the story feel less like a movie and more like an observation of real events. The decision to shoot on a tight schedule adds to the urgency, ensuring that every performance carries the weight of the moment rather than feeling over-rehearsed.

The lead performance is one of quiet devastation. Rather than leaning into melodrama, the actress embodies the exhaustion and frustration of someone fighting for too long. The film allows its characters to exist as people rather than symbols, making their struggles even more affecting.

Beyond the personal story, the film forces a much larger question: how do legal systems balance the presumption of innocence with the need to protect the vulnerable? It doesn’t give easy answers, but it does challenge the idea that hesitation is a neutral stance. When children’s testimonies are at stake, is it more dangerous to believe too easily or to doubt too long? The film refuses a neat resolution, leaving audiences with the implications.

This project was deeply personal for its filmmakers. One of the directors, with a background in healthcare, brings a perspective that adds to the film’s emotion. This experience informs the way trauma is portrayed—not as something cinematic or exaggerated, but as something internalized, something that lingers in the way people move, speak, and react. It’s a careful, deliberate portrayal that never feels exploitative.

The directorial duo brings a balanced perspective to the narrative. This collaboration ensures that the film doesn’t slip into one-dimensional storytelling but instead explores the emotional and institutional complexities from multiple angles. The result is a story that never simplifies its subject matter but presents it with an unflinching, honest lens.

This isn’t an easy watch and isn’t meant to be. The film lingers with you, leaving an unsettling sense of injustice behind. Some movies offer closure, but this one challenges viewers to reflect. It demands reflection, forcing viewers to acknowledge the flaws in the systems it is meant to protect. For that reason, it’s as powerful as it is necessary.

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[photo courtesy of MACKINTOSH FILMS, THE PARTY FILMS SALES, JOUR2FETE, O’BROTHER]

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