The Silent Defendant: Some thoughts on Law and Film

Abstract

The French film I’ve Loved You for So Long (2008) raises intriguing questions about the tension between silence and speech. It centers on an accused woman who has chosen to give no explanation in words about the motive for her criminal act. Her silence worsens her punishment and renders it harder to rebuild her life after her release from prison. This essay proposes seeing this silence as a critique of law. It aims to challenge our understanding regarding the different kinds of silence before the law and to assess the practical consequences arising from the decision of legal subjects to remain silent.

Citation

Tirosh, Y. (2013), "The Silent Defendant: Some thoughts on Law and Film", Sarat, A. (Ed.) Studies in Law, Politics, and Society (Studies in Law, Politics, and Society, Vol. 61), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 61-79. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1059-4337(2013)0000061006