SAINT OMER
Narrative Feature | 122 minutes

HIFF 2022

 World Cinema Narrative

Directed by
Alice Diop

Produced by
Toufik Ayadi, Christophe Barral

Written by
Alice Diop, Amrita David, Marie Ndiaye

Featuring
Kayije Kagame, Guslagie Malanda, Valérie Dréville, Aurélia Petit

Sponsored by



2022 | French | France

NOTE: This film was added after the printing of the catalogue.

In the northern French town of Saint-Omer, young academic and novelist Rama (Kayije Kagame) attends the trial of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), a woman accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach. As the trial unfolds, the words of the accused and witness testimonies echo into Rama’s own life, shaking her convictions. In her debut narrative feature, acclaimed documentarian Alice Diop harnesses riveting performances and razor-sharp tension to confront audiences with nuanced questions about their own judgments. Meticulously crafted and grippingly shot, SAINT OMER won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice. This SUPER Release is France’s official selection for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards.