Women on Trial (N/C 18+) French Film Festival

Women on Trial
Original title: L’Affaire Marie-Claire
Lauriane Escaffre & Yvo Muller | France | 2026 | 102 mins | N/C 18+ | In French with English subtitles

In 1972 France, a fearless lawyer takes on the landmark Bobigny trial to defend a teenage girl prosecuted for having an illegal abortion.

A landmark trial shakes France in 1972 as young Marie-Claire is prosecuted for having an illegal abortion with the help of her mother and two other defendants. In a courtroom governed by men, the verdict seems inevitable: prison for the women, while the rapist goes unpunished. 

Their last hope lies with Gisèle Halimi (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg), a fearless lawyer known for openly challenging patriarchy and confronting the system that condemns victims and lets perpetrators walk free. Alongside the accused, Gisèle will not only change their fate, but, against all odds, transform the condition of women forever. Three years later, it led to the Veil Act of 1975, which officially decriminalised abortion in France.

"Powerful testament to the resilience of women through the generations." - Cineuropa