The Monopoly of Violence

During the gilets jaunes protests in France a large number of people were seriously injured in police operations, with recorded cases of lost eyes and severed hands. This documentary carries that footage into a room. The director invites a range of people: those who were injured, police officers, union organisers, sociologists, lawyers and journalists. They watch the same footage and say what they see. David Dufresne's film does not leave the interpretation to the viewer, but it does not arrive at a single conclusion either. The title comes from Max Weber's definition of the state: the structure that holds the monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. The argument turns around that definition, and where legitimacy ends. Most of the footage comes from amateur recordings made on phones. The structure is simple and repeating: image, reaction, argument. Who it's for: Viewers interested in political documentary, arguments about police violence, and recent French history. Who it's not for: The images of violence are direct and constant. The format also repeats itself after a point.