‘I Am France’ is a powerful documentary from director Sarah El Attar which showcases the extent of police brutality and corruption in France. Using testimonies from five relatives of victims of police brutality, El Attar displays the fight against corruption and abuse of power towards people of colour in France. It above all showcases the need for change and justice.
Opening with a montage of aerial shots of the banlieues, El Attar sets the scenes for where countless acts of racial profiling and police brutality have taken place. It is topic that has been discussed in film recently with the release of ‘Avant que les flames ne s’eteignent’, and most notably with the 1995 film ‘La Haine’. However, with its status as a documentary, ‘I am France’ really helps to gauge the reality of systemic oppression and abuse that people of colour face in every-day life.
Testimonies of injustice
The documentary consists mainly of interviews with five voices fighting against police brutality in France: Ramata Dieng, Assa Traoré, Mahamadou Camara, Farid El Yamni and Awa Gueye. Each of them discuss the circumstances of their siblings’ death and the trials they have had to face in their fights for justice.
There are clear violations of rights and miscarriages of justice throughout each of the cases, including the aftermath of each murder. This includes falsifying documents and refusing to go through proper procedures.
In the mix of the the interviews with family and clips from protests are interviews with other people from the banlieues. Each has their own bad experiences with police, be that racist remarks or excessive stop and searches by the same officers. From an early age people of colour know they are to expect this treatment. There is clearly disproportionate discrimination of Black and Arab people than White.
The editing cutting between interviews shows the similarities between cases, and the extent to which this problem exists. Despite the different facts between the cases, the ‘justifications’ for this violence were all similar, and the families continue to face the same tribulations. It highlights the urgency for justice for the victims as well as the need for change.
The Role of the Media
Another important issue addressed is the impact of media and the spread of disinformation. Unfair lies are told surrounding the victims which change the narrative of what happened and affect the ways they are perceived. Without the support of the public, the individual families have no power over the corrupt forces in charge.
It is important to rally and make these issues known in order to achieve change, which is something the documentary does perfectly. By platforming these injustices, there is more chance for change and justice for the families involved, who are still campaigning for their affected loved ones.
Overall, this documentary is very educational and moving. The compilation of testimonies provides support for the fight against police brutality.
“Pas justice, pas paix”.
Feature Image Credit: Macrobert Arts Centre/ I Am France