Review of Polisse (2011) by Iris L — 26 Apr 2012

Winner of Cannes Jury Prize 2011, and Best Editing in CÃ (C)sar awards.

Yesterday I went to see Polisse at our Festival, and was lucky that the director - Maïwenn - (who also co-wrote and stars in it) - was there to answer questions after the film.

The film chronicles life with a Parisian Child Protection Unit. At times, it felt like a documentary, but in fact it was not, although - based on some real cases. There was no one story as a focus to follow but several stories, of the kids and the cops who protect them. Clearly, their work effects their private lives... It brings them down when they face bad cases, and they rejoice together in victories when a child is saved.. The film moved so fast, and yet it felt so real and natural, we asked Maïwenn at the end how did she do it. She said that in preparation to making this movie she spent many months with a Child Protective Unit and followed them (and in fact, in the movie, she is playing a photographer who is attached to them for some time). Then, when she started making the film - all of her actors spent a week in "CPU education" where cops from the unit came and instructed them daily in the works of the unit. By the end of the week or 10 days, her actors "have become" those cops... Another interesting point to me, was that she said she had talked to each child individually and asked if they really wanted to be in the movie, or if they were doing it for their parents. She did not want children who were coerced into acting in the film. She said all the kids said they wanted to be in the movie, and that they were doing it for the children, so that their stories come out...

It is fast-paced, emotional journey, with some tears and some laughs too. Top notch production.