Tenth District Court
by Raymond Depardon
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Michèle Bernard-RequinDirector: Raymond Depardon
Brand: Koch International
Cinematographer: Fabienne Octobre
Cinematographer: Justine Bourgade
Cinematographer: Raymond Depardon
Editor: Lucile Sautarel
Editor: Simon Jacquet
Producer: Adrien Roche
Producer: Claude Morice
Producer: Claudine Nougaret
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Original Language), Unknown
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-03-07
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Koch Lorber Films
Product features:
- The film explores the media-shy French judicial system by capturing the various comings and goings of a misdemeanor court over a period of three months. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: FOREIGN Rating: NR Age: 741952307297 UPC: 741952307297 Manufacturer No: KLFDV3072
Movie Reviews of Tenth District Court
Movie Review: Fascinating documentary on the French judicial system
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fascinating look at the everyday running of the French courts. It edits together actual court cases where the participants agreed beforehand to be recorded on film. This required a special dispensation from the Justice Ministry as court cases are generally not allowed to be filmed in France. It makes for a thoroughly absorbing 107 minutes of courtroom drama.
The first thing you notice is the absence of a jury as the French judicial system does not call for one. The question of guilt or innocence is decided solely by the presiding judge. The next thing you notice is the court procedure itself. Unlike the American justice system, most of the courtroom proceedings is handled by the judge. Direct questioning of both parties and any witnesses is done by the judge with the prosecuting and defence counsel essentially silent except when needed to clarify legal matters and for summations. This results in remarkably rapid decisions, with the simpler cases (DUI, weapons possession) disposed of in a single day. It also cuts out the frequent grandstanding of lawyers in American courtrooms when they have to appeal to a jury. One thing noticeable about this court in particular is that most of the court officials are women - the Judge, prosecutor and very often the defence counsel are women. One wonders if women make up a majority in the French legal system. Fortunately for us, the Judge here is not only photogenic, she is also personable, has a very pleasant demeanor and a good sense of humor. Another thing you pick up eventually, is the disproportionate number of North Africans and Arabs among the defendants. Judging by their numbers here, you'd think Paris is full of North Africans and Arabs. It does make you wonder why so many end up in court.
There are a wide variety of cases but they are mostly minor crimes - drink driving, harrassment, weapons possession, drug possession, theft, immigration offences. The fascination is in watching the defendants trying to talk their way out of their situations. Because the Judge interrogates the defendant personally, the defence counsel can only sit quietly by while her client swims or, more likely, sinks. Many of the self-incriminatory statements made by the defendants in front of the Judge would never have been allowed by a defense counsel in America. Sometimes it is hilarious to watch defendants giving patently stupid answers that would inevitably get them convicted. Just sample the exchange between the Judge and a defendant charged with driving without a valid licence. The Judge asks, "What will you do tomorrow if I release you?" The defendant replies, "I'll go back to work." The Judge then asks, "How?" Without hesitation, the defendant replies, "I'll drive of course." You can just picture the Judge wanting to tear her hair out as she asks in disbelief, "Do you understand what you're saying?" while the guileless defendant looks on in blissful ignorance. Pared down from over a hundred filmed cases, the dozen or so represented here make for a truly engrossing 107 minutes.
The film was shot in 1.66:1 widescreen and is pillarboxed into a 1.78:1 frame (Anamorphic). It comes with the original Dolby 2.0 French Stereo track with optional English subtitles. Picture quality is fine for what is in essence a live recording. And grain is minimal for a 16mm film. The DVD comes with several extras, the original trailer, a 20min featurette with director Raymond Depardon explaining how the film was shot while court was in session, 8 minutes of 2 deleted scenes, including one with a mentally disturbed defendant that I thought deserved to have been in the film proper, followed by a post-premiere discussion with the director and the judges involved. During the discussion, Judge Michele Bernard-Requin points out the difference between the adversarial American system and the inquisitorial system employed in France and explains the reasonings behind some of her verdicts. Thoroughly fascinating. Deserves at minimum a rental.
Summary of Tenth District Court
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