LA NUIT DE 12^TH/THE NIGHT OF THE 12^TH

France, 2022, 115 minutes, Colour.

Bastien Bouillon, Bouli Lanners.

Directed by Dominik Moll.

Most audiences enjoy crime investigation stories. This one is very well told. However, while it is based on actual events, it is a sympathetic point of view of police and detectives working on cases, unsolved cases and finding the frustration in not being able to solve them. As well as the personal involvement with some of the victims of crime, their families, and interrogating suspects.

This film has the advantage of attractive settings, from the police precinct in Grenoble to villages out in the country, some majestic scenes of the Alpine terrain.

The audience is invited into the action with two openings: a squad celebrating the retirement of its esteemed chief and the transition to a new commander; a 21-year-old leaving her friend’s house in a completely masked stranger, the throwing of lighter fluid, the lighter, torched, the girl’s death.

The work of the new commander (Bastien,Bouillon) is highlighted and intertwined with the audience’s increasing knowledge about the murdered girl, her character and background, all being exposed. The commander offers to break the tragic news to the parents but his eyes caught by a photo portrait of the murdered girl on the wall, with her pet cat, and he goes blank, very much affected. And this drives him through the investigation.

In many ways, the screenplay is a painstaking development of the investigation, the various interviews, the parents, the best friend (who does want to protect her friend’s reputation and is slow in forthcoming with possible suspects), workplace contacts…

And the screenplay continues to fascinate the audience with a succession of possible suspects, former boyfriends, a hostile rap-song composer who is asked to sing his song which has direct reference to the manner of the girl’s death, a local bystander who sends the cigarette lighter to the police, a man charged with violence against his former wife but who is protected by his girlfriend’s testimony in his favour. We realise that each of these men could be the killer – or not.

And this takes its toll on Yohan, sometimes morose, often angry, taciturn, releasing his pent-up energies by fast cycling in a velodrome. He does work well with his men though is critical of some of their stances torched criminals. But, the significant other character is the middle-aged Marceau (played by veteran Belgian actor Bouli Lanners), wanting to have a child with his wife whom he loves but who now wants a divorce because she is pregnant from a new liaison. There is a powerful sequence where he gets into Yohan’s car and just tells him the story, then leaves. Later Marceau will be so frustrated that he will hurry to interview one of the suspects, becoming physically violent with him.

Three years pass, a judge becomes interested in the case, summoning Yohan who now has a new team, especially having a female detective as part of the team, reflecting that this kind of crime is perpetrated by men against women, and is chiefly investigated by men. She indicates hope-for changing attitudes.

On the anniversary of Clara’s death, there is surveillance, and some dramatic moments.

So, the audience is invited to share the life and work of the detectives, the details of their work, interviews, reports, speculation, and the frustrations that continually hinder the completion of their work.

1. ^{The popularity of crime investigation dramas? Police squads? Specialists? Detective work?}
2. ^{Comment on unsolved cases, the impact on detectives, frustration, emotional involvement?}
3. ^{The locations, Grenoble, the Alps, mountain scenery, the country towns, homes, police precincts? The musical score?}
4. ^{The opening, Clara, leaving the house, sending the video, the masked attacker, the fuel, lighting it, burning, the death?}
5. ^{The evening of celebration, the police chief retirement, the speeches, camaraderie, banter, Yohan taking over?}
6. ^{The call to the crime scene, the local police and their reactions, some resentments? The calling of the squad from Grenoble? The site, photos, evidence? The phone?}
7. ^{The main part of the film as the process for detection? The visit to the parents, the mother breaking down hysterically? The Father’s response? Many arriving? The shock of the news? The interviews?}
8. ^{The gathering information about Clara, personal and intimate details, her behaviour, attitudes, reputation? Nanie defending it?}
9. ^{The range of men, many gradually giving information, forgetting? Tracking the men down? Wesley, at the resort, his assessment of Clara, the sexual relationship, his girlfriend? Breaking? The news about the rap singer, his calling in, the lyrics of his song, against Clara, torching her? Dennis and sending the lighter, tracked down, poor reputation, his alibi, explanations? The information about Vincent:, brutal, charges against him, his girlfriend, bravado, her defending him, alibis? Later hearing his brutal phone call to his girlfriend? The possibility for each of them to being the killer?}
10. ^{The commentary of vulnerability of women, that it was men who killed women?}
11. ^{Yohan, cycling in the velodrome, intensity, taking over command, not talkative, his relationship with the other men, teamwork? The friendship with Marceau? Yohan not having any private life, his apartment, the cycling? Yet angry?}
12. ^{Marceau, his years of experience, frustrations, wanting to teach French, his wife, love for her, pregnant, yet wanting the divorce, the three months relationship, the other man and the pregnancy? Getting in the car and telling Yohan the story? His investigations, interviews, listening to Caroline’s phone call, driving, the physical assault? His leaving, reassigned? Later sending the photo of the blue flower to Yohan?}
13. ^{The reports, the broken photocopier, frustrations? The meetings between the team, the jokes, the work, interviews? Personal attitudes, especially towards criminals?}
14. ^{No solution to the case? Three years passing? The introduction to the judge, her interest in the case, summoning Yohan, the anniversary, the suggestions about surveillance? The new team, new recruit, top of her class, her choices for investigation, shrewd assessment, of Yohan?}
15. ^{The judge supplying the finances, the van, the death site, the parents coming with their candles? Going to the cemetery, the camera, the discovery of the individual, his behaviour, relying on the grave, singing the song? No sound? The hearing-impaired interpreter, the song and the research discovering it? Possible solution? The fact of his being interned in the mental institution, not the killer?}
16. ^{Marceau sending the photo, Yohan photocopying it, sending the message to Marceau in wishing him well, and his cycling up the mountainside, branching out?}
17. ^{The audience sharing the frustration of not being able to solve the case, the experiences of police and detectives with case unsolved, and personal commitment to the cases?}