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During the trial Alain Françon "remakes the film" of the attack which almost cost him his life

2022-12-07T10:28:05.421Z


At the assizes of Hérault, the Advocate General demanded a sentence of 30 years of criminal imprisonment, accompanied by a “security period of 15 or 20 years” against Mohammed Kemal, who injured with a cutter on March 17 2021, the director who received three Molière awards in 1995, 2010 and 2016.


The fraternity of the theater

” was the best therapy, assured Tuesday December 6 the director Alain Françon, aged 77, who came to testify before the assizes of the Hérault at the trial for “

attempted murder

” of the man who almost slit his throat, in March 2021.

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A 33-year-old man, Mohamed Kamel, has been appearing since Monday December 5 before the assizes of the Hérault for “

attempted murder

” for having seriously injured the French director with a cutter in the throat in March 2021 in Montpellier. .

Alain Françon, a great lover of Chekhov and defender of contemporary authors, had received a blow from a sharp object, carried from behind while he was walking on March 17, 2021 at the end of the morning in Montpellier, where he had come to animate a training.

Read alsoTheater: and “Godot” waited for Alain Françon

On the second day of this trial, the Advocate General demanded a 30-year prison sentence, accompanied by a "

security period of 15 or 20 years

" and socio-judicial follow-up with a treatment order for five years against the accused, a 33-year-old Algerian who arrived in France at the age of 11.

The verdict is expected today Wednesday, December 8, after the defense argument.

Read alsoAlain Françon, the director who weighs his words

Before the indictment, for half an hour, Alain Françon, 77, recounted "

the totally meaningless act

" of which he was the victim, on March 17, 2021, in the historic center of Montpellier.


At the end of the morning, this director passionate about the gesture of Anton Chekhov, whose prolific career has been rewarded with three Molières, took advantage of the good weather to take a walk, before joining the conservatory of dramatic art where he hosted a training.


As he takes an alley, he suddenly has the "

feeling of being jostled

" by a stranger coming from behind, testifies in front of the Assize Court the man of letters, dark suit and abundant white hair.

But he doesn't "

understand

immediately that he was seriously injured, he explains, visibly moved, referring to the "

remarkable people

" who came to his aid when he finally collapsed, with a deep wound in his throat. fifteen centimeters.

A "bad look"

This "

would have been quickly fatal without the first aid

" provided by passers-by and two employees of a pharmacy, explained the medical examiner who examined him that day, after his operation.

Nothing else happened

,” insisted Alain Françon, forcefully refuting having made the slightest offensive remark towards the man who, in the dock, keeps his head down.

While in police custody, he claimed that the director had “

looked at him badly

”.


"

Symbolically

", it's something else: more than the pain, Alain Françon regrets having "

lost what 45 years of theater (him) have taught: trust, respect for others

".

"

Becoming suspicious is something I don't like

,” he breathes.

During the two weeks following the attack, until the arrest of the suspect, he "

remade the film

" of his life, wondering who he had been able to "

vex or humiliate to this point

" to deserve this, he also remembers.

Before understanding that it can "

fall on anyone

": "

And it's 50% relief

", he finally noted.

If Mohamed Kamel admitted to having hit "

an old man

", who would have "

looked at him badly

", he has always denied having intended to kill him.

At the trial, he says he is "

sorry

", then he mentions "

an accident

", underlines that his victim "

is not dead

", that "

worse people

" are not in prison... Exasperated by his remarks, the president of the court asks him "

to be silent

".


A few minutes before attacking Alain Françon, this Montpellier resident living on expedients between two spells in prison had been turned away from the Hérault prefecture, located a stone's throw away, where he had not been able to file an application for renewal of his residence permit, for lack of an appointment.

The attack, "

it's a blind and vengeful response to a randomly designated scapegoat victim

," said a psychiatric expert.

Although he no longer dared to travel by metro and fearing the "

shadows behind his back

", Alain Françon was able to resume rehearsals after a few weeks and find his actor friends, technicians and managers.

Since then, he has “created

five plays

” and has a sixth in the pipeline.

The fraternity of the theater has been my greatest therapy

,” concluded the highly respected director.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-12-07

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