“At the end of the investigation” has successfully started its third unpublished season on France 2.
The show attracts an average of 1.2 million viewers each week.
This Saturday, September 17 at 2 p.m., she is interested in the Patrick Dils affair in two new episodes.
Marie Drucker, who presents the program, returns to this extraordinary news item.
Now a producer of documentaries but also a screenwriter and actress for the cinema, she also reveals her projects.
To discover
TV program: Find tonight's TV program
TV MAGAZINE. - Why did you choose to come back to the Patrick Dils affair, which has already been widely publicized?
Mary Drucker.
- In "At the end of the investigation", we choose cases both unknown and highly publicized because we deal with them in our own way, that is to say without comment, and we always try to have something extra.
There, we have the extraordinary testimony of Patrick Dils and Master Becker his lawyer.
So I think that we shed light on this news item in a new way.
What do you remember from the testimony of Patrick Dils?
We discover it in a new light.
We see that he is very composed, he is an intelligent person, of incredible dignity.
We learn in the film that he did not see his parents for two years when he was 16 when he was arrested.
As his lawyer says, Klaus Barbie was treated better than him.
He also suffered all the abominable abuse that one can imagine in prison, he was raped, beaten… He exudes serenity and great strength of character.
I have a lot of admiration for him.
Read also“At the end of the investigation” (France 2): already a year of cold cases for the “C in the air” of crime
What did this case mean to you?
It made a deep impression on me from the start.
What interests me more broadly in the news item is what it tells about a society, an era, a sociology, a geography, the media too... In short, the whole ecosystem societal.
I think that's also what makes the show so successful.
Everyone can identify, that is to say, we are aware that at any time in our life, we can be a victim, a witness, an executioner or involved in a case that goes wrong... This are lives that change.
I think that's what touches viewers.
What are the strengths of the show?
We offer auteur documentaries every week which, even if there is a common writing for all the episodes, bear the mark of each of the directors.
We also made the choice not to comment, which is quite rare at this time and in this kind of program.
This is also what made me, among other things, decided to accept to present it.
This new writing appealed to me.
Particular care is taken with lighting, directing, editing and writing.
Finally, we accompany the viewer with my insights and those of Alain Bauer, placing things in the current and historical context.
“News stories have always fascinated me.
It fascinates me because it touches on everything: ethics, philosophy, morality, what we are deep inside us…”
Mary Drucker
When you were offered to present the show, were you already interested in news items?
It has always fascinated me.
It fascinates me because it touches on everything: ethics, philosophy, morality, what we are deep inside...
What struck you in the Patrick Dils affair?
It's the chaining, the manipulation, the egos with a chain of responsible who absolutely want to hold a culprit to be proud of having settled a case very quickly.
It is also the contempt for what we call "little people".
An uneventful family with two children, Patrick and Alain, who went to look for apples in their orchard.
And, suddenly, the implacable machine descends.
That's what I find terrible.
In fact, it is a tragedy in the noble sense and in the ancient sense of the term.
Read also“You will give birth gently”: Marie Drucker highlights the work of midwives
After his interview, Patrick Dils comes to hug his lawyer, a highlight of the film…
In one season, we have established a relationship of trust, both with the viewers and with the protagonists.
The proof, we manage to have the testimony of people who have never spoken or very little.
Patrick Dils and Master Becker told us that they had agreed to participate for the quality of the show.
It is a relationship of trust.
How are the cases you will handle chosen?
It can take time because it has to be a case on which we have things to contribute.
This requires a lot of work up front.
We can't say just anything, nor be approximate, we have to be extremely rigorous.
It's a survey, actually.
What other news items are you working on?
On the Patrice Alègre affair, another big media and legal fiasco, but also on that of Christian Ranucci which is particularly close to my heart and has always marked me enormously.
I followed her a lot and I read all of Gilles Perrault's books but also saw Michel Drach's film
Le Pull-over rouge
.
“I am working on writing my own feature film”
Mary Drucker
You produce documentaries and you acted in the cinema in the film
Another World
by Stéphane Brizé, what are your projects in these areas?
I produce documentaries about society and history.
I now devote myself a lot to the cinema.
I co-wrote the screenplay for his next film with Stéphane Brizé and I have another project with a co-author.
I am also working on writing my own feature film.
Has it always been a desire to work in cinema?
That's why I stopped being a journalist six years ago.
Now I'm a screenwriter, actress, producer but no longer a journalist.
I had been doing what we call news for almost 25 years and I made this choice because I wanted to go more towards creation, writing and production.
Read alsoMarie Drucker takes her first steps in the cinema with Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain
And what does acting represent?
Originally, this was not a goal.
Stéphane Brizé asked me to try out for his film and finally chose me.
It was an absolutely extraordinary experience.
It also allowed me to be at a very privileged vantage point to direct.
What did you like?
All !
Often people tell me that it must be easy for me because I'm used to cameras but not at all.
It's not the same exercise, the same work, you're not going to draw on the same resources within yourself, it's very different.
Do you have other acting projects?
I was approached by producers and directors.
If it happens, why not, but my main goal is to write and direct.