News Items / Faits divers (1983) dir. Raymond Depardon

Paris, summer 1982. The day to day life of a police station in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Day and night a reporter follows small groups of uniformed police officers who patrol the neighbourhood in their vans, intervene at the slightest radio call, prepare reports or question defendants at the central station. Shot alone by Depardon, Faits divers (News Items) is a live report, without a commentary, on the day to day activities of police officers in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. By observing the police officers, Depardon’s camera reveals the hidden side of Paris. The Paris of everyday assaults, poverty and distress. In a way, he opened a cycle of films on those who had been forgotten by everyone and began to give them a voice as he explained: “The shooting was laborious, but in this film, I was able to record the words of individuals who never have access to the media [...] Is Paris a difficult city to live in? Or a city where you get help? There is probably a French-style violence, and the police officers are poorly prepared social workers.”