Critic’s Pick!
A refreshingly grounded picture of crime-fighting.”
— Nicolas Rapold, The New York Times
“A skillfully turned French crime picture…[The Night of the 12th] suggests that what makes this murder case especially interesting is not whodunnit, but the sexual politics underlying the crime and the investigation.”
— John Powers, NPR’s Fresh Air
“… one of the most unorthodox and original police procedurals I’ve ever seen. It eschews convention and steadfastly ignores the recognized tropes of the crime mystery blueprint. For those reasons alone,
it should be seen by all fans of that genre.”
— Michael Clark, The Epoch Times
“A deft and satisfying police procedural in command of its unusual tone,
The Night of the 12th is perfectly cast and constructed with
quietly thrilling rigor.”
— Lisa Nesselson, Screen Daily
“The Night Of The 12th will emotionally exhaust audiences and get under
their skin with its haunting ending…It may be time the police procedural
made an arthouse comeback”
— Bobby LePire, Film Threat
“Always engaging, with Bouillon and Lanners both tearing into their
respective roles with relish. A moody and fascinating piece of work.”
— Boyd van Hoeij, The Film Verdict
“French filmmaker Dominik Moll has given us a gripping true-crime procedural,
a desolate study of the ubiquity of evil and misogynist violence and the abyss
of unknowing into which everyone finds themselves gazing…
a brutally engrossing drama.”
— Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
“With its economical storytelling and sharply drawn characters,
The Night of the 12th is an immensely watchable crime film.”
— Dustin Chang, Screen Anarchy
“[A] taut and piercing thriller….”
— Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
In nearly every police precinct, detectives are inevitably confronted with a case that goes unsolved. The more heinous the crime, the more it haunts those whose duty it is solve it. Such is the dilemma for Yohan Vivès—a young, recently promoted police Captain—when he begins investigating the gruesome murder of a young women named Clara in the town of Grenoble. It’s clear that the attack was pre-meditated, and the violent nature of the crime suggests revenge. Vivés’ team methodically digs through the details of Clara’s life, uncovering her secrets in hopes of weeding out the killer. Certain their suspect is a scorned ex-lover, Vivés is confronted with another, more complicated question: which one?
Based on a true crime book by Pauline Guéna, THE NIGHT OF THE 12TH is a gritty mystery that’s “both highly effective and brilliantly acted, where procedures and mindsets reveal a frayed society” (Cineuropa), posing uneasy questions about the male-dominated world of law enforcement, and their ability to handle the violent crimes routinely perpetrated against women victims.
One of the most celebrated and acclaimed French films of 2022-3, following its international premiere at Cannes, THE NIGHT OF THE 12TH would go on to be nominated for 11 prestigious César Awards and capture seven, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Bouli Lanners), Most Promising Actor (Bastien Bouillon) and Best Sound. Also nominated for six 2023 Lumiere Awards, the gripping thriller would win two, including Best Film and Best Screenplay. It also won two 2023 Magritte Awards for Best Actor (Bouli Lanners) and Best Foreign Film in a Co-Production.
DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY: DOMINIK MOLL
Dominik Moll is a French director and screenwriter. He grew up in Baden-Baden, Germany. As a teenager he dreamt of shooting wildlife documentaries, but when he discovered the films of Alfred Hitchcock, he decided to turn to fiction. He studied film at City College of New York and French National Film School where he met fellow student Gilles Marchand, with whom he started a long collaboration, both co-writing their mutual films. Moll has so far written and directed seven features. Most of them were shown in major international film festivals. He has also worked on two international television series.
FILMOGRAPHY
2022 — THE NIGHT OF THE 12th (7 Césars – French Academy Awards)
2019 — ONLY THE ANIMALS (Arri-Award for Best Int’l Film at Munich IFF)
2018 — EDEN – TV Series (German Grimme Award for Best European Series)
2016 — NEWS FROM PLANET MARS
2013 — THE TUNNEL – TV Series (International Emmy Award for Best Actor)
2011 — THE MONK
2005 — LEMMING
2000 — WITH A FRIEND LIKE HARRY (4 Césars – French Academy Awards)
1994 — INTIMITÉ
