History 52'

The Guillotine: A French History

On September 10, 1977, the guillotine was used for the last time in France, at the Marseille prison of Les Baumettes.

This controversial device, a symbol of execution until the first decades of the Fifth Republic, has a singular and little-known history. Heavy, burdensome secrets, where taboo is mixed with shame.

Through poignant testimonies and unpublished archives, this documentary looks back on this forbidden episode in the history of France, and reveals the sometimes burdensome secrets of this machine and its design.

Direction: Bertrand Jeanneau & Juliette Desbois

Production: CAPA Presse for RMC Découverte

Languages: French

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