A Silence

{{Infobox film

| name = A Silence

| image = Un silence 2023 film poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name = {{Infobox name module|fr|Un silence}}

| director = Joachim Lafosse

| writer = {{plainlist|

Joachim Lafosse
Thomas Van Zuylen

}}

| producer = {{plainlist|

Anton Iffland-Stettner{{cite magazine|last=Lodge|first=Guy|date=26 September 2023|title='A Silence' Review: Joachim Lafosse's Gradually Shattering Probe Into Toxic Family Secrets|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/a-silence-review-1235734162/|magazine=Variety|access-date=19 January 2024}}
Eva Kuperman
Jani Thiltges
Régine Vial
Alexis Dantec
Antonino Lombardo

}}

| starring = {{plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Jean-François Hensgens{{cite web|url=https://www.sansebastianfestival.com/2023/sections_and_films/official_selection/7/711040/in|title=UN SILENCE / A SILENCE|publisher=San Sebastián International Film Festival|access-date=19 January 2024}}

| editing = Damien Keyeux

| music =

| studio = {{plainlist|

Stenola Productions
Samsa Film
Les Films du Losange
Prime Time
RTBF
Proximus
VOO
BE TV
France 3 Cinéma

}}

| distributor = {{plainlist|

Les Films du Losange (France)
Samsa Film (Luxembourg)
Cinéart (Belgium)

}}

| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2023|9|25|San Sebastián|2024|1|10|France|2024|1|17|Luxembourg|2024|1|24|Belgium}}

| runtime = 99 minutes{{cite web |url=https://filmsdulosange.com/en/film/un-silence/|title=A Silence|publisher=Les Films du Losange|access-date=19 January 2024}}

| country = {{plainlist|

Belgium
Luxembourg
France

}}

| language = French

| budget =

| gross = $1.9 million{{cite Box Office Mojo|id=25051484|title=A Silence (2023)|access-date=5 October 2024|publisher_hide=yes}}

}}

A Silence ({{Langx|fr|Un silence|links=yes}}) is a 2023 drama film directed by Joachim Lafosse. The film stars Daniel Auteuil and Emmanuelle Devos. It premiered on 25 September 2023 at the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival. It was released in France on 10 January 2024. The film is based on the real case of disgraced Belgian lawyer Victor Hissel.

Premise

"Having remained silent for 25 years, Astrid, the wife of a prominent lawyer, sees her family's equilibrium shatter when her children initiate their quest for justice."{{cite magazine|last=Bałaga|first=Marta|date=27 September 2023|title=Joachim Lafosse Speaks Out About Abuse in 'A Silence,' and So Should You: 'I Also Refused to See Myself as a Victim'|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/joachim-lafosse-daniel-auteuil-emmanuelle-devos-1235737106/|magazine=Variety|access-date=26 January 2024}}

Cast

{{Cast listing|

Daniel Auteuil as François Schaar
Emmanuelle Devos as Astrid Schaar
Matthieu Galoux as Raphaël Schaar
Jeanne Cherhal as Inspector Colin
Louise Chevillotte as Caroline
Nicolas Buysse as Gillet
Karim Barras as Barras
Larisa Faber as Christelle Guérin
Baptiste Sornin as Etienne Guérin
Shann Case as Shann
Massimo Riggi as Reporter 1
Colette Kieffer as Reporter 2
Elsa Rauchs as Reporter 3
Jonas Wertz as Reporter 4
Ismaël Michiels as Ismaël
Damien Bonnard as Pierre
Magali Pinglaut as François Schaar's lawyer
Laure Hemmer as Barrister
Raphaëlle Bruneau as Mrs. Sautiaux

}}

{{cite web|url=https://filmsdulosange.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/A-SILENCE-Press-Kit.pdf|title=A SILENCE Press Kit|publisher=Les Films du Losange|access-date=19 January 2024}}

Production

The screenplay was written chiefly by Lafosse with Thomas Van Zuylen. Chloé Duponchelle and Paul Ismaël served as co-writers. Sarah Chiche, Matthieu Reynaert, and Valérie Graeven are credited as writing collaborators.

A Silence is a co-production between Stenola Productions (Belgium), Samsa Film (Luxembourg), Les Films du Losange (France) and Prime Time (Belgium).{{cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/450423/|title=Review: A Silence|last=Engelen|first=Aurore|date=25 September 2023|website=Cineuropa|access-date=19 January 2024}} It was co-produced by RTBF, Proximus, VOO, BE TV and France 3 Cinéma.

Release

A Silence was selected to compete for the Golden Shell at the 71st San Sebastián International Film Festival,{{cite magazine|last=Roxborough|first=Scott|date=7 July 2023|title=San Sebastian Film Fest Unveils First Competition Titles|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/san-sebastian-2023-film-festival-competition-sheila-atim-cristi-puiu-joachim-lafosse-robin-campillo-1235530737/|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=19 January 2024}} where the film had its world premiere on 25 September 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.sansebastianfestival.com/programme/25|title=Monday 25th|publisher=San Sebastián International Film Festival|access-date=19 January 2024|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208161533/https://www.sansebastianfestival.com/programme/25|archive-date=8 December 2023}}

World sales are handled by Les Films du Losange, which also distributed the film in France on 10 January 2024. Samsa Film distributed the film in Luxembourg on 17 January 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/SamsaFilm/posts/pfbid02URB7BKdbVCYkZAAeprspcLN4MDXoDiCTDd5p1tT26VYwCvjcXnLbPyyg6Lz96UT9l|title=Après une sortie remarquée et un excellent démarrage au box-office en France mercredi dernier, "UN SILENCE", le nouveau long-métrage de Joachim Lafosse, sort ce mercredi 17 janvier dans les salles au Luxembourg.|date=16 January 2024|work=Samsa Film|publisher=Facebook|access-date=19 January 2024}} Cinéart is set to theatrically release the film in Belgium on 24 January 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.cineart.be/fr/films/un-silence|title=Un Silence|publisher=Cinéart|language=fr|access-date=19 January 2024}}

Reception

=Critical response=

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 82% based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10.{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|title=A Silence|type=m|id=a_silence|access-date=8 September 2024|publisher_hide=yes}} On AlloCiné, the film received an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 28 reviews from French critics.{{cite web|title=Critiques Presse pour le film Un silence|url=https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-299455/critiques/presse/|website=AlloCiné|language=fr|access-date=19 January 2024}}

Guy Lodge of Variety wrote that "there is a gasping power to its staggered reveals, and a searching sadness to the emerging family portrait that outweighs the film's shock factor".

=Accolades=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" \| Award ! scope="col" \| Date of ceremony ! scope="col" \| Category ! scope="col" \| Recipient(s) ! scope="col" \| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| {{Ref heading}}
scope="row" \| San Sebastián International Film Festival \| 30 September 2023 \| Golden Shell \| rowspan="2" \| Joachim Lafosse \| {{nom}} \| align="center" \| {{cite magazine\|last=Hopewell\|first=John\|date=25 August 2023\|title=San Sebastian Competition: Cate Blanchett-Produced 'Fingernails' and 'The Royal Hotel' With 'Matrix' Stars Added to Lineup\|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/festivals/cate-blanchett-riz-ahmed-1235704456/\|magazine=Variety\|access-date=19 January 2024}}
scope="row" \| Rome Film Festival \| 28 October 2023 \| Best Director \| {{Won}} \| align="center" \| {{Cite web\|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/452011/ \|title= Toll triumphs at the 18th Rome Film Fest \|first= Vittoria\|last= Scarpa \|date=30 October 2023\|access-date=30 September 2024 \|website= Cineuropa \|language=en}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Award

! scope="col" | Date of ceremony

! scope="col" | Category

! scope="col" | Recipient(s)

! scope="col" | Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Ref heading}}

scope="row" | San Sebastián International Film Festival

| 30 September 2023

| Golden Shell

| rowspan="2" | Joachim Lafosse

| {{nom}}

| align="center" | {{cite magazine|last=Hopewell|first=John|date=25 August 2023|title=San Sebastian Competition: Cate Blanchett-Produced 'Fingernails' and 'The Royal Hotel' With 'Matrix' Stars Added to Lineup|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/festivals/cate-blanchett-riz-ahmed-1235704456/|magazine=Variety|access-date=19 January 2024}}

scope="row" | Rome Film Festival

| 28 October 2023

| Best Director

| {{Won}}

| align="center" | {{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/452011/ |title= Toll triumphs at the 18th Rome Film Fest |first= Vittoria|last= Scarpa |date=30 October 2023|access-date=30 September 2024 |website= Cineuropa |language=en}}