The Girl with a Bracelet

It begins as an ordinary family outing to the beach. Then things turn dark as 17-year-old Lise, from a wealthy middle-class family, comes under investigation following the death of her best friend. As her parents (Chiara Mastroianni and Roschdy Zem) deal with the trauma in different ways, Lise is required to account for a way of life that doesn't always fit the morality approved of by the justice system. This third feature by writer-director Stéphane Demoustier is a razor-sharp judicial drama and a superb cast includes Anaïs Demoustier, on top form as an implacable prosecuting counsel. And as Lise, newcomer Melissa Guers offers a mesmerizing performance as the young woman whose very self is the mystery under investigation.—London Film Festival