Agence CAPA
presse

Chemical Submission: Shifting the Shame

It’s already being called the “trial of the century,” a moment that marks a clear before and after. The so-called Mazan rape trial brought worldwide attention to Gisèle Pelicot, a wife drugged for ten years by her husband and handed over unconscious to dozens of rapists. Over four months of extraordinary court proceedings, the case also introduced the general public to the concept of chemical submission.

Led by Caroline Darian, the victim’s daughter and the daughter of her tormentor, Chemical Submission: Shifting the Shame uses the Pelicot trial as a central thread while also delving into the stories of other victims. Each case sheds light on what has, until now, been the blind spot of sexual violence.

Zoé, 33, has no memory of the night she was drugged and raped during a Music Festival celebration.

Céline, 46, knows her aggressor—her boss at the time—but also suffers from amnesia due to the sleeping pills she was given.

Léa, 22, drank the drink offered to her by two young soldiers at a nightclub. Despite one of them confessing, she is still waiting for justice.

Rénald, 48, managed to rebuild his life and overcome the shame he felt at not being able to escape his rapist.

Katia, 53, like all other victims of chemical submission, closely followed the trial of Dominique Pelicot. She still harbors anger toward the justice system: against all expectations, the young banker accused in her case was acquitted.

For Lilwenn, 16, justice was served thanks to timely hair sample tests, which provided the crucial evidence of chemical submission.

Demanding justice, empowering victims to stand tall, and ultimately shifting the shame away from them—that is the driving goal of Chemical Submission: Shifting the Shame.

Produced by
Andrea Rawlins-Gaston • Patrice Lorton
Written by
Linda Bendali • Andrea Rawlins-Gaston
Directed by
Linda Bendali
Editor(s)
Nicolas Jambou • Ève Mazet
Duration
1 h 34 min