France 2 is broadcasting “Tu neras point”, a film this evening in which Samuel Le Bihan plays a lawyer who defends a mother guilty of killing her daughter suffering from multiple disabilities and severe autism. But is this film inspired by a true story?
The day after World Autism Awareness Day, France 2 is broadcasting Tu neras point this evening, a powerful film which highlights the difficulties and the cruel lack of support that families of people with disabilities encounter.
Directed by Leslie Gwinner and carried by Samuel Le Bihan and Natacha Régnier, the film follows the story of Simon Marchand, a criminal lawyer in decline who finds himself defending Elsa Sainthier, a woman indicted for having killed her daughter suffering from multiple disabilities and severe autistic disorders.
With no other prospects for her daughter than reception structures designed for adults’ psychological disorders, Elsa has in fact made the hardest decision, that of putting an end to her immense and irremediable suffering. Although consumed by pain, Elsa expects nothing from this trial and even less to be understood, complained or excused.
For 90 minutes, You Shall Not Kill never seeks to be complacent towards Elsa’s actions but rather to explore the complex motivations of this desperate act in order to change society’s view of disability.
Screaming for truth, we inevitably wonder if the film is inspired by a true story…
An original idea from Samuel Le Bihan
The original idea for this film comes from Samuel Le Bihan himself, who is the father of an autistic child.
“I didn’t necessarily want to address autism. Given my personal life, I have met many people who experience extreme moments of great solitude. I was very struck by the exhaustion and abandonment they face.“, explained the actor in a press release from France Télévisions
And to continue, ” I came across press articles about these tragedies which happen about once every ten years, exhausted mothers who, no longer seeing any other solution to the suffering of their child, make the decision to end his life. . This question is never addressed, I wanted to question the place of disability in our society, everything that such a heavy and desperate decision implies“.
The film is inspired by several true stories
If the original idea of Tu neras point comes from Samuel Le Bihan, the story of Elsa Sainthier is on the other hand a mixture of several true stories. It was in the columns of Télé Star magazine, which appeared on newsstands last week, that the actor revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the creation of this film.
“It’s a mixture of lots of stories. One of them struck me at the start. The mother had been defended by Eric Dupond-Moretti. She then attempted suicide. It’s a thing that happens every ten years.“, he says.
The case in question is that of Laurence Nait Kaoudjt, a mother found guilty of having killed her severely disabled 8-year-old daughter. On August 22, 2010, she had in fact chosen to put an end to her daughter’s ordeal by making her take sleeping pills before strangling her. She then tried to end her life.
With this film, Samuel Le Bihan therefore aims to sound the alarm in the face of these tragic situations.
He explains: “Tu neras point is militant because it raises the question of the loneliness of parents. Great efforts have been made on screening, supporting children to school… But due to lack of support, people still sacrifice their lives for their disabled child, often women in fact. Many couples explode. Fathers give up, mothers sacrifice their careers, their personal, intimate, romantic lives to take care of their child. We are in a public service mission. I would like us to move forward on the path to the place of disability in our ultra-competitive societies“.
