So Help Me God – Ni juge, ni soumise (2017)

Directed by: Yves Hinant, Jean Libon | 93 minutes | documentary | With: Anne Gruwez

“The wind helped today.” At first glance, there is not much special about this statement. But when you consider that that breeze has helped dispel the stench of a rotting corpse just exhumed, it does feel a bit strange. And that is actually the best description for this Belgian documentary: not very special at first sight, but put it in its real context and it does feel a bit uncomfortable.

In ‘So Help Me God’, the eccentric Brussels investigating judge Anne Gruwez is followed during her daily work. And there are quite a few. For example, she passes judgment on “everyday” abuses such as robbery and domestic violence; she reopens cold cases and is flown into crime scenes to collect evidence. Initially enough material to tell a fascinating story, but that is not what makes this documentary so special. That is the main character Anne. She is, for lack of a better word, special. She moves into an old Duck, has a white pet rat and doesn’t turn her heart into a murder pit. And whenever you, as a viewer, think you understand her or have a hold on her, it turns out that you don’t. She shows compassion where you least expect it and is strict at times that could use some gentleness. In addition, on the one hand she speaks the language of the detectives she works with and then has an intriguing conversation with an SM mistress. That atypicalness keeps the whole thing more than fascinating.

The makers of ‘So Help Me God’ are Jean Libon and Yves Hinant, best known in Belgium for their satirical TV show STRIP-TEASE. And even without this foreknowledge, many will doubt during the first minutes whether the documentary is real. The contrast between the atrocities in the world on the one hand and the way Gruwez deals with it on the other is so great that it feels almost impossible. And that’s the beauty of this film: it shows and narrates horrific situations and never gets too dark.

You must have a strong stomach because, as mentioned, a corpse is being dug up, for example. However, that’s not the most bizarre thing in ‘So Help Me God’. The interrogation that Anne Gruwez has with a mother who killed her son is so unreal that that alone could be enough reason to watch this documentary. ‘So Help Me God’ is a film that captivates all the time due to its special storylines and characters and that will stay with you for a long time after watching.