12 jours

Every year in France, 92,000 people are placed under psychiatric care without their consent. By law, the hospital has 12 days to bring each patient before a judge. Based on medical records and a doctor’s recommendations, a crucial decision has to be made – will the patient stay or leave? Granted access to these hearings for the first time, Raymond Depardon captures these extraordinary encounters between justice and psychiatry. “We filmed 72 hearings and our engagement was strengthened by contact with troubled patients who managed to bear witness with great dignity and sensitivity. Above all these are people who are suffering; their words are valuable, nor merely disturbed or insane, but clear and strongand concerned with their future lives. 12 DAYS presents ten of these patients.” (Raymond Depardon)