Women on Trial

Women on Trial is a French courtroom drama set during a landmark 1972 trial in France. Sixteen-year-old Marie-Claire is prosecuted after having an illegal abortion with help from her mother and two other defendants. In a male-dominated courtroom, the women face prison while the man who raped Marie-Claire remains unpunished. Their defense attorney, Gisèle Halimi, a Jewish lawyer known for challenging patriarchy, fights to overturn the system’s treatment of victims and ultimately helps change the status of women.

This Boston Jewish Film Festival Spotlight Screening will be followed by a conversation with Professor Kelly Colvin of UMass Boston and Professor Julian Bourg of Boston College.

When: Saturday, November 7

Showtime: 7:00 p.m.

Venue: Brattle Theatre

Directors: Lauriane Escaffre and Yvo Muller

Run time: 102 minutes

Release year: 2026

Language: French with English subtitles

Cast: Cécile de France, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Grégory Gadebois, Sarah Suco, and Saül Benchetrit

Discussion: The screening is followed by a conversation with Kelly Colvin, Associate Professor of History at UMass Boston, and Julian Bourg, Associate Professor of History at Boston College.

Tickets: Price not available

Passes: Brattle passes are not accepted.