Strict and imperturbable, Michel Racine is a strong criminal court judge, single since having separated from his wife. Charged with handling a case in which a young father is accused of having killed his baby, he catches the flu and has to deal with the trial in a slightly altered state. But his rather morose daily life changes when he is presented with the trial’s jury – among them is a woman whose face he recognizes…

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Courted is subtly elegant and surprising. Not one of Fabrice Luchini’s big movies in that it is less verbose than usual, nor is it a general audience movie such as Christian Vincent (Quatre étoiles, Haute Cuisine) has made in the past; not really a courtroom drama, nor a rom-com about a complicated love affair. Courted is more of an intersection of genres, preferring to balance all its parts. Quiet and calm, the film brings together two worlds with finesse and sensitivity, offering enough depth to make the story passionate and moving. Luchini, winner of the Best Actor award in Venice, gives an earnest and tender performance, assisted by the marvelous Sidse Babett Knudsen, the star of the TV series Borgen. The emotion released by their story and the tension resulting from the trial make Courted a strong and brilliant film.