In Safe Hands

The second feature film from actress-turned-filmmaker Jeanne Herry (Number 1 Fan), In Safe Hands throws us deep into the milieu of the French social assistance services where the fate of one baby boy exposes the conflicting conundrums faced by many women – those giving up their babies and those desperate to have their own.

When baby Theo’s birth mother surrenders him to adoption, child protection services, and officers such as Karine (Sandrine Kiberlain, Number 1 Fan), are called to action, and the harsh realities of the adoption process are pulled into sharp focus.

Karine entrusts Theo to Jean (Gilles Lellouche, C’est la vie!) – no stranger to the foster system himself – who takes on the responsibility of the newborn until a suitable home can be found. Meanwhile, Alice (Élodie Bouchez) has never given up the fight to be a mother and faces the prospect of this dream finally coming true, although nothing is certain.

“A particularly accurate puzzle that comes together very harmoniously” (Cineuropa), In Safe Hands relies on the impeccable performances of its cast, subtle cinematography and score, and finely tuned writing from Jeanne Herry to create a story that is at once informative and affecting.