Émilie Rousset uses documentary archives as theatrical material. Her new production, Family Matters, questions the judicial system as a place where language is transformed.  Encountering lawyers and litigants in Europe, Family Matters recounts intimate stories confronted with the law. Seven European actors re-enact these encounters, the space fills with the voices and bodies of these stories, and each situation questions us as a whole society.

A lawyer specializing in child abduction, a lawyer who is an expert in LGBT parenting, the Italian father of a child born through surrogacy, a Spanish member of Mossos d’Esquadra, silenced denunciations of incest, and victories in the European Court of Human Rights—with each of these cases, justice is challenged by the social tensions and changes in our societies. 

Estimated duration : 2h

Concept, Writing, and Direction : Emilie Rousset
With : Saadia Bentaïeb, Antonia Buresi, Theresa Coutinho, Ruggero Franceschini, Emmanuelle Lafon, Nuria Lloansi, Manuel Vallade.
Set Design:  Nadia Lauro
Music  : Carla Pallone
Writing Collaboration : Sarah Maeght
Lighting Design : Manon Lauriol
Director of Photography : Alexandra de Saint Blanquat & Joséphine Drouin Viallard
Additional Camera Operator Italy : Tommy
Additional Camera Operator Spain : Maud Sophie
Editing : Carole Borne & Gabrielle Stemmer
Assistant director : Elina Martinez
Sound Design : Romain Vuillet
Sound and video management : Louis Darde
Stage and General Manager : Jérémie Sananes
Costumes : Andrea Matweber
 

The text of the play is written from interviews with Fabíola Cardoso, Davide Chiappa, Anne Lassalle, Caroline Mécary, Lilia Mhissen, Isabel Moreira, Pauline Rongier, Hansu Yalaz, Marco Zabai, Neus Aragonès, Alice Bouissou, Véronique Chauveau, Michele Giarratano, Agnès Guimet, Montse Martí, Diodio Metro, Joana Mortaga, Luca Paladini, Morghân Peltier, Jennifer Tervil, Agathe Wehbé, teams of Parloir Père-Enfants ARS95, Adepape95-Repairs!95, Protéger l’enfant, la Oficina de comunicació de la Policia de la Generalitat – Mossos d’Esquadra.

Production : CDNO - Centre Dramatique National Orléans

Coproduction : Points communs - Nouvelle Scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise ; Le Volcan - Scène Nationale du Havre ; Le Lieu Unique Nantes ; La Comédie de Clermont- Ferrand Scène Nationale Scène Nationale de l’Essonne, Agora-Desnos ; Théâtre de la Bastille, Festival d’Avignon.