Projection de Just Mercy à l’UGC

Ce mardi 19 décembre 2023, les élèves de TSTI2D1, TSTI2D3, et du groupe de spécialité TAMC, ont assisté à une projection du film Just Mercy de D. D. Cretton, sorti en 2019, basé sur la biographie de Bryan Stevenson, avocat et fondateur de l’association à but non-lucratif Equal Justice Initiative, visant à assurer la défense de détenus afro-américains condamnés à mort et en attente dans le couloir de la mort de l’exécution de leur peine.

Cette projection fait suite à l’étude du système judiciaire américain en lien avec le thème "Faire société" au programme de l’année de Terminale en Anglais Monde Contemporain, et est liée aux axes "Art et pouvoir" et "Diversité et inclusion" du programme de terminale en tronc commun.

Suite à cette projection à l’UGC, les élèves ont pu réaliser au choix une revue critique du film, ou un enregistrement type micro-trottoir en anglais afin d’évoquer leur expérience et leur réception de ce film.

Film review by James (TAMC et atelier CAV) :

Just Mercy is a true story of Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard lawyer who goes to Alabama to defend the wrongly condemned, including Walter McMilian, a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence.

It was my first time viewing Just Mercy, here are my thoughts :

First of all, what I like about Just Mercy is its message and how it can impact every generation. Obviously the acting makes the outcome more emotional and mark my words, Jamie Foxx proves again how wonderful he is at acting. The cinematography was quite alright and not to blame. But like I said when you come out from the movie, you mainly think about how it has a strong message and successfully alerts the audience on how back then life was miserable for black Americans.

Second of all, what I didn’t like was the fact that the director chose to victimize every prisoner even though some of them are actual criminals but I guess in this context I can’t complain too much. Also I thought that the Herbert Richardson arc was a bit too long and unfortunately for a min lost my interest in the main storyline.

Film review by Kenzo (TSTI2D1) :

Just Mercy is a film that moved me. I think that was the aim as the death sentences of the characters we get to know throughout the film shock and make us sympathise. The film is full of suspense and with each judgement we wonder if the character will be convicted. What’s more, the judgments are fraught with tension, with the innocent defendant’s family on one side weeping and wailing over the fate of the protagonist, and the witnesses on the other denying the truth in order to defend the antagonist. This film, taken from reality, shows us the racial injustice between whites and blacks. The blacks were innocently accused of taking the blame for the whites. I have a great deal of respect for the lawyer who tries to save the lives of innocent people from these injustices despite death threats from his opponents. I’m disappointed that the detainee Rob Morgan was killed out of injustice, a passage that shows the harsh reality, but I’m pleased that the detainee Jamie Foxx was narrowly freed thanks to the lawyer Walter McMillian. I was thrilled when the family shouted for joy at his release.I thought the film was very well shot and the actors really managed to get under the skin of their characters. Thank you for taking us to see this very interesting film, which taught us about the hidden reality of injustice towards black Americans.

Valérie Hourdeau, professeur d’Anglais