CASE 137 (DOSSIER 137) World Cinema

In this gripping and quietly explosive policier, Stéphanie (a riveting Léa Drucker) is a Paris-based investigator for France’s internal affairs unit — tasked with holding officers accountable in a system built to protect its own. Navigating a fraught terrain of institutional silence and deep-rooted corruption, she takes on the controversial case of a young protester who was shot by riot police during a Yellow Vest demonstration. Personal conflicts arise when she discovers the victim also happens to be from her own hometown. As the investigation unfolds, so does Stéphanie’s disillusionment — forcing her to question the very system she’s dedicated her life to. Director Dominik Moll crafts a taut, emotionally restrained drama that balances procedural intensity with rich social commentary and occasional wry humor. Touching on police impunity, class tension and anchored by a superb script and Drucker’s commanding performance, CASE 137 is as much a character study as it is a chilling and timely reflection of unchecked state power. –Mimi Brody