This is a remarkable file in many respect. Most importantly perhaps, it is the first major motion picture (TMK) which captures realistically and artfully the atmosphere of the child-sex abuse hysteria that gripped the Western world in the last twenty years of the 20th century. Perhaps all English-speaking countries had some harrowing example of this cultural phenom, with the McMartin preschool and the Bronx 5 cases in the U.S., Martensville in Canada, ChristChurch Civic Creche in New Zealand and the Cleveland child abuse sandal in England being the best known exemplars. "Presumé coupable" (Guilty) offers a rare insight into the sorry spectacle of a justice system being uprooted by popular, media-orchestrated, amplified hysterias and unscrupulous operators posing as defenders of public virtue. The francophone setting of this familiar drama, based on an actual, well known judicial fiasco in Nothern France - Belgium at the break of the millennium, makes it all the more fascinating. The acting is superb. Phillipe Torreton as the falsely accused Alain Marécaux struggling to get a grip on a world gone mad, delivers a stunning performance, which I simply cannot believe was not acknowledged by the Academy in the US. This is a classic of gut-wrenching drama delivered by a true virtuoso. Wladimir Yordanoff as the defence counsel has also delivered a masterful performance of a converted "believer" in Alain's innocence. Finally, Raphael Ferret's insight into a fanatic posing as a professionally detached examining judge helps to create an absolutely convincing air of authenticity for the drama. Last but not the least, the directing of Vincent Garenq matches the talent of his actors. The direction has a single point of focus- Marécaux - which might have easily been a recipe for boring, overdrawn melodrama. With Torreton, though, it works to perfection. I warmly recommend this film as a real artistic feat and a much needed social commentary.

French screenwriter and director Vincent Garenq's second feature film is based on the memoirs of Alain Marécaux and the screenplay was written by Vincent Garenq, Alain Marécaux, Serge Frydman and Hubert Delarue. It tells the story about Alain Marécaux, a middle-aged bailiff who lives in France with his wife and their three children. One day Alain and his family gets an unexpected visit by the police who tells them that they have been accused of child molestation. Alain and his wife is taken to custody and their children is sent away to foster homes. During the interrogations of Alain, he is confronted with a young judge who sees the case as a pathway to his own success and deliberately ignores the fact that there are no evidence to support the allegations against Alain and his wife.This emphatic and realistically portrayed study of character about a man who becomes a victim of false accusations and a corrupt justice system, depicts essential parts of a scandalous real-life criminal case which took place in France 2001 where seventeen people where wrongly accused of paedophilia and incest. Vincent Garenq goes into the core of Alain Marécaux' heart-wrenching struggle for survival and exoneration in this well-paced, tightly structured and engagingly directed French-Belgian co-production, and emphasizes the fatal consequences of false accusations and miscarriage of justice. A condensed and compassionate drama with an austere atmosphere and a gripping acting performance by French actor Philippe Torreton which gained, among other awards, the Label Europa Cinemas Award at the 68th Venice Film Festival in 2011.

It seems absolutely unbelievable but this story is true. It is based on actual events that occurred in France ten years ago. Nationwide events which made an earthquake in the justice world, and not only...The tale of a district attorney assistant falsely accused of child molesting and sent in jail for several years. And not only him, but a bunch of innocents too...A disgusting but real story that makes you puke.Philippe Torreton gives here a powerful, terrific performance as the poor petty district attorney assistant. For the making of this picture, he lost more than 50 pounds of bodyweight. He looks like a Auschwitz survivor.It's a solid, intense drama where the characters are more than convincing. Even a cold minded judge to whom every one would like to spit at the face.

Based on a true story of pedophilia which was widely talked about at the turn of the century ,it is a deeply moving work which shows how ruthless adamant justice can be.What happened to Alain could happen to anyone .The judge is all the more frightening since he looks nice ;he has got a book of laws in lieu of heart .He makes me think of the magistrate in Dylan's "Percy's song" -"too late too late for his fate it is sealed ,would you kindly leave my office please sir".The movie owes a great deal to Philippe Torreton ,one of the most brilliant French actors .His emotional commitment to his character is extraordinary and his performance is Cesar caliber:we know from the start he is innocent and we can easily identify with him ,feel his extreme despair :hateful humiliations,insults,death of a mother,estranged from his children who are penned in strangers 'place,depression,several suicide attempts,hunger strike,nothing is spared this distraught man.The true Alain has revealed he had lost everything.This man was punished for something he had never done and it's one of the biggest miscarriages of justice of the last ten years .The viewers who are looking for brilliant lawyers who will save an innocent in the nick of time will be disappointed:it's the story of a victim of the lack of heart of his fellow men;the judge is asked if he can feel the human side before getting a light reprimand .André Cayatte ("Les Risques Du Metier") is re-born !We realize today how much we miss his kind of cinema !Most moving moment:Alain is lying on his bed and singing an old folk song called "Le Galérien" ,with pictures of his family all over his chest..."Je Me Souviens Ma Mère Disait (...) On Te Mettra Des CHaînes T'En Auras Les Reins Brisés Et Moi J'en Mourrai De Peine"