Storyline
The Law of Silence, a final-year documentary by Moïra Chappedelaine-Vautier at Femis, examines the 1963 Amnesty Law and the consequences it had on studies of the Algerian War. It brings together interviews conducted in 2002 with Henri Alleg, editor of the daily newspaper Alger Républicain from 1951 to 1955, and Pierre Vidal-Naquet, historian and essayist. It also features incredible statements from General Massu and lawyers unraveling the various legal defenses of people like Jean-Marie Le Pen. Not only does Moïra have her father, René Vautier, speak, but she also includes footage he himself filmed forty years earlier. A very interesting report, which notably reminds us that the Amnesty is not a pardon but the erasure of the sentence and also of the crime itself.
Cast & Crew
René Vautier
Self
Lead
Henri Alleg
Self
Pierre Vidal-Naquet
Self
What People Are Saying
5.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Moïra Chappedelaine-Vautier's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
5.0
“Every frame feels alive. The Law of Silence is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
