NOVEMBRE

France, 2022, 106 minutes, Colour.

Jean Dujardin, Anais Demoustier, Sandrine Kiberlain, Jeremie Renier, Lyna Khoudri, Cedric Kahn, Hugo Dillon.

Directed by Cedric Jimenez.

The terrorist attack on a concert venue in Paris in November 2015, 130 dead, many injured, made a powerful impact in France. And, with the release of Novembre, it would seem that it still does. However, for those outside France, memories may be receding.

This thriller does not focus on the terrorist attack in any detail. Rather, it is the story of five days in November 2015 where the police investigated and pursued the perpetrators of the atrocity.

The early part of this film moves very rapidly, lots of action, lots of police, details of leads, investigations, swift pacing, swift editing, the audience caught up in the urgency of the investigation. In many ways, the action is quite frantic.

But, the focus begins to narrow, the screenplay concentrating on some of the chief investigators. At the head is Fred, Jean Dujardin, intelligent, sometimes too quick to fly off the handle, persevering, coordinating, showing skills at interrogation but then drastically losing his cool. While he is something of a hero in his pursuit of the investigations, he has his limitations, is not a superhero. Meanwhile, there is another coordinator, Heloise (Sandrine Kimberlain), reminding audiences that police investigations are carried out by both women and men. The expectations from the public, from government officials who turn up, are immediately demanding.

There are also some next-rung investigators, especially in his (Anais Deamoustier) who has come in from the country, takes a private initiative in pursuit of a criminal, makes a huge strategic mistake which could jeopardise the investigation. However, she perseveres, especially in working with an informant who comes forward, Samia (Lyna Khoudri) who phones in some details, is interrogated, initially treated with suspicion, but is intricately involved in the whereabouts of the terrorists and the police trapping them.

In the background is ISIS, Jihad leaders, locally, in Belgium, in Syria, connections in Morocco who need to be interrogated, and the intensity of the jihadist-terrorist mentality, symbolised in the arrest of one suspect who sits, arrogantly surly, defying the interrogation, reminding audiences of the relentlessness and intensity of ideologies.

The film also shows various police, undercover agents, details of surveillance, techniques to avoid discovery, difficulties, losing those under surveillance.

Each of the five days is highlighted by name and number on the screen, the impact of the terrorist attack, the pressure of investigations, the uncertainty of outcomes, and final information as to arrests, trials, punishments.

Interesting, of course, because of its relationship to events. But, in itself, a top police investigation film.

1. The impact of this film for French audiences? Memories of the terrorist attack and its consequences? The pursuit of the perpetrators?
2. Audience knowledge of the events of 2015, memories, fading of memories? Their being brought back?
3. The title, November 2015, the five days, the month and dates large on the screen? The cumulative effect of the investigation over these days?
4. Information about the terrorist attack, the concert venue, the number of dead and injured, the other bombings? Jihad mentality? Terrorists in France itself, their affiliations, Belgium, Syria? The film communicating the mentality of Jihad?
5. The early part of the film, the aftermath of the explosions, the number of dead, phone calls, police, political intervention? The swift pace and editing? The overall search and investigation?
6. Then the narrowing of the focus, the concentration on the leading investigators, the next-rung, the police, undercover and skills in surveillance? Yet the difficulties and losing those under surveillance?
7. Fred, his role, personality, dedication to his job, relationship with Heloise, information, clues, leads, connections, his role as an interrogator, losing his cool and attacking the suspect? No rest, continually on the job, connections, going to Morocco to interview the uncle? The buildup to the information about the whereabouts, coordinating the attack? Success?
8. Heloise, coordinating, her dedication, intensity, connections? Clues, leads? The political presence and pressure? Marco, his role, coordinating, interactions with Inez?
9. Inez, from the country, her skills, phone calls, enquiries, checking identities, research, following the lead, the arrest, exposing an undercover agent? The reprimands? Her continued work, the pressure on her, the phone call from Samia, meeting, interrogation, the role of Marco, devil’s advocate? Suspicions, wary? The decision as to whether she was trustworthy?
10. The pursuit of the young terrorist, the interrogation of the arms supplier, his alibi, his arrogance and smirking during the interrogation, Fred angry with him, violence? Pressure on him?
11. Samia, inviting the friend to stay with her, the information about the cousin, in the car, stopping under the bridge, identifying the leader? The phone call, the dangers for her, her motivation, being called in, questioning, under suspicion? The pressure on her at home? The surveillance of her friend through the market, losing her? The pressure on Samia to find out the location, the bugging of the house, finding the pressure of the information?
12. The raid, coordination of the police, the dangers, explosives, the confrontation, the explosion in the room after the battering of the door, the deaths?
13. Samia, kept under surveillance, arrested, the law not protecting her as an informant?
14. The aftermath, the success of the raid, the political intervention?
15. The information about the suspects, arrests, trials, imprisonments? And the freeing of Samia?