Winner of Best First Feature at this year’s Berlinale, Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys’ debut feature is an intense, restrained exploration of a mother’s struggle to protect her children in a justice system that places her—not the father—under scrutiny. Set in its entirety in the courthouse and anchored by a central scene of nearly an hour in length—shot in real time—this courtroom drama reveals how the exhaustion and desperation of legal proceedings can further deepen trauma. Drawing on her own professional experience in healthcare, Devillers tackles the complex dilemma between the presumption of innocence and the need to protect the most vulnerable, confronting the darker realities of domestic life with unflinching honesty, in the vein of the excellent Custody (2017). Behind closed doors, tensions build with compelling, nuanced performances by Myriem Akeddiou (Titane, Midwives), alongside real-life lawyers, adding authenticity to the legal language, dynamics and emotional charge of the courtroom.