Omar m'a tuer (2011)

In the summer of 1991 an elderly woman Ghislaine Marchal is found murdered in the basement of her home with the message "Omar M'a Tuer" (Omar has kill me) written beside in her own blood. ... See full summary »

Director:

Roschdy Zem

Writers:

Olivier Gorce (scenario), Roschdy Zem (scenario)

Stars:

Sami Bouajila, Denis Podalydès, Maurice Bénichou

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sami Bouajila	...	Omar Raddad
Denis Podalydès	...	Pierre-Emmanuel Vaugrenard
Maurice Bénichou	...	Jacques Vergès
Salomé Stévenin	...	Maud
Nozha Khouadra	...	Latifa Raddad
Afida Tahri	...	La mère de Latifa
Yanis Abdellaoui	...	Karim enfant
Ayoub El Mahlili	...	Karim jeune garçon
Martial Rivol	...	Président Djian
Lounès Tazairt	...	M. Sheriff (as Lounès Tazaïrt)
Liliane Nataf	...	Mme Marchal
Catherine Salviat	...	Hélène Carrère d'Encausse
Pascal Elso	...	André de Comminges
Didier Vinson	...	Juge Renard
Gabriel Le Doze	...	Maître Beaudoux

Storyline

In the summer of 1991 an elderly woman Ghislaine Marchal is found murdered in the basement of her home with the message "Omar M'a Tuer" (Omar has kill me) written beside in her own blood. Despite a lack of forensic or DNA evidence, her Moroccan gardener Omar Raddad is found guilty and sentenced to 18 years in a French prison. Shocked by the case, and convinced of his innocence, journalist Pierre-Emmanuel Vaugrenard moves to Nice to investigate, and uncover the truth... A powerful and gripping French crime drama depicting a remarkable true story.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | journalist | controversy | suicide attempt | book | 

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

France Morocco

Language:

French Arabic

Release Date:

22 June 2011 (France)

Also Known As:

Omar - Ein Justizskandal

Filming Locations:

Mougins, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tessalit Productions, Mars Films, France 2 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where Omar Raddad's defense speaks to the press outside the courthouse saying, "A hundred years ago we (France) condemned a younger officer because he was Jewish." Is a direct reference to the Dreyfus Affair. Similar to Raddad, Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason for passing French military secret information to German Embassy and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1894. Despite evidence proving that Dreyfus had not commit treason and a French Army general Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy was the real culprit, Dreyfus continued to endure various court hearings in the same manner as Raddad. In both cases the French justice system was viewed as discriminating against Dreyfus who was Jewish where as Raddad is equally let down by the same system for being Arab and Muslim. Dreyfus was eventually released from prison in 1906 after serving a 12 year sentence.

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Connections

Referenced in C'est qui café ça? (2017)

User Reviews

A haunting story, a last chance

On June 24 1991, Ghislaine Marshall, a wealthy widow, is found murdered in the basement of her villa in Mougins, near Nice. An inscription on her door written with her blood reads, "Omar killed me" and automatically directs investigators to Omar Raddad, her Moroccan gardener who barely speaks French and is eventually sentenced to 18 years in prison, despite no evidence.

Based on true events, the case of Omar Raddad outraged the media at the time and questioned the very integrity of the French juridical system against foreigners. Raddad was tried in 1996, partially pardoned by then President Jacques Chirac in 1996 and finally released in 1998. In France, Omar is still considered guilty by the law, and this film, based on his autobiography, might be his last attempt to clear his name.

The film tells two stories; the investigation by writer Pierre-Emmanuel (Denis Podalydès), and Omar's time in prison. At the same time, we learn of Omar himself, a simple but stoic man, who didn't go to school, but believes in the honor of his name and that of his family.

As the film demonstrates, there were no traces of blood on his clothes, no indication of his presence at the crime scene. Evidence also points to the fact that he was somewhere else at the time of Marshall's death. But in a classic case of corruption, Omar is left to fight against a whole system. Results are manipulated, and Marshall's body is burnt to avoid further investigation. The frustration of his situation pushes Omar to go on food strike in prison – and desperation eventually that leads him to attempt suicide.

Sami Bouajila has an impressive approach to Omar – he doesn't talk much, but uses his eyes to express his predicament. Consequently, his sparse use of dialogue is all the more effective. "I have no more life, the judge destroyed it," he cries. The portrayal granted Bouajila the Best Performance Award at the 2011 Doha Tribeca Film festival, alongside a Best Arab Narrative Filmmaker award for director Roschdy Zem.

This is not a film with outstanding cinematic techniques, but presents a story rooted in reality and Omar's injustice. Zem solicits powerful performances from his cast, without mining the material for pity. The director is an actor himself and this, his second feature, presents the cause of Omar as unfinished business – justice has yet to be delivered.

Similarly, the investigation at the heart of "Omar Killed Me", even as it sets out to prove his innocence, allows the audience to look for clues, make connections and judge for themselves. We follow the investigation of a police drama which is based on fact and where the judges play devil's advocate. There is little conflict over Omar's innocence, but a dawning realization that those in power are readily able to gather their facts and manipulate them in order to convince those who already suspect Omar of the crime. In the end, the film shines a spotlight on a long forgotten case. One can't but respect a filmmaker who sets out to try and make a change.