Les Choses humaines

Intense courtroom drama about a controversial rape case. 17-year-old Mila accuses rich and privileged student Alexandre of having raped her. The more we find out, the more we have to adjust our perceptions. Is there such a thing as a ‘grey area’?

Alexandre Farel is the talented son of successful parents who have recently broken up. His mother Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is a high-profile feminist, his father Jean a famous television pundit. Home in Paris for a brief visit from his studies in the US, Alexandre meets his mother’s new lover Adam and his daughter Mila. After dinner, Alexandre invites Mila to a party. The next day, the police arrive at Alexandre’s door. They say Mila (a fantastic role by newcomer Suzanne Jouannet) has accused him of rape.

What happens next is told from different viewpoints – his and hers – while also shifting in time, very ingeniously playing with the audience’s convictions and expectations. Was their sex consensual? Is there a way to determine whether it was? To defend his son, Alexandre’s father talks about a ‘grey area’. Is there such a thing?