Sébastien Descoins

In Algiers, in June 1957, Maurice Audin, a 25-year-old mathematician, was arrested by French paratroopers. His wife, Josette, and their three children never saw him again. This documentary interweaves testimonies from French and Algerian protagonists: activists for Algerian independence, lawyers, historians, and military personnel. Drawing on the research of historian Pierre Vidal-Naquet, it blends archival footage, newspaper articles, books, drawings, and reenactments to reconstruct the context of this disappearance and denounce the torture and murder practiced in Algeria. Josette Audin is the central figure and the moral compass of this film.

There is no denying that autobiographical intentions and introspection have their pitfalls. But a man's voice off screen sets the tone from the start: "There is no such thing as a private diary. The very expression is nonsensical." No chance then to see outpourings, confessions or explanations.

There is no denying that autobiographical intentions and introspection have their pitfalls. But a man's voice off screen sets the tone from the start: "There is no such thing as a private diary. The very expression is nonsensical." No chance then to see outpourings, confessions or explanations.