The film Borgo by Stéphane Demoustier, which follows the journey of a prison guard who plunges into organized crime, arrives in cinemas in a particular climate…
The film “Borgo”, whose theatrical release is set for April 17, 2024, is already causing great controversy. Based on real events, the film follows the fictional story of 32-year-old Melissa, an experienced prison guard who settles in Corsica with her two young children and her husband.
The abstract. Melissa is assigned to a prison in Borgo, south of Bastia, Corsica, a place where interaction and interdependence between guards and inmates is very strong. She will forge ties with influential thugs until a damaging mechanism is set in motion.
The story, directed by director Stéphane Demoustier (“Terre Battee”, “Allons Enfants”, “La Fille au Bracelet”), is inspired by the journey of Cathy Sénéchal, herself a former warden of the Borgo prison. Fascinated by the world of banditry, she is now accused of being involved in a double murder at Bastia-Poretta airport at the end of 2017. According to the prosecution, her gesture – a kiss – would have enabled the attackers to identify the two victims.
A trial in summer 2024
The context of this film is all the more sensitive as the trial for the double murder of December 5, 2017 is scheduled to take place from May 6 to July 6, 2024. The victims, Antoine Quilichini and Jean-Luc Codaccioni, were well known to bandit circles and their execution in broad daylight raises the question of the premeditation of the assassins, who were informed of their return to Corsica after a vacation.
The controversy surrounding “Borgo” is not just limited to its content. Lawyers involved in the trial criticize the early release of the film and fear it will influence the upcoming verdict. “They didn’t even wait for the trial to end,” complains one lawyer, emphasizing how inappropriate it is to broadcast such an explosive work while the jury and judge are considering the case.
In a statement to Corse Matin Me, Julien Pinelli, lawyer for Christophe Andreani, underlines the need to preserve the integrity of the criminal file: “It seems to me necessary to preserve as much as possible the contents of a criminal file until its conclusion.” Its dissemination through the press is sometimes justified by freedom of information, but this principle does not apply to a film work which, by definition, has no influence on juries and judges. In the near future, we will have a duty to judge our customers.”
In the face of these criticisms, Stéphane Demoustier defends his work as pure fiction, even though it is based on real events. He insists on the non-investigative nature of his film: “I am not indifferent to the reactions that this film provokes, which can provoke painful things. But it is above all a fiction. The characters are fictional and I have not realized any investigations. The film was created on the basis of press articles dealing with this prison guard, when nothing is intended to ask this question about the thugs’ point of view and is not hagiographic towards the prison guard.
The excitement surrounding the film’s release was also palpable at the preview screening at the Bastia Cinema a few days ago, which was delayed by a false bomb threat.
