20 Best French Films Of The Last Decade

7. Our Children

A film about a mother (‰milie Dequenne) who murders all five of her children isn't exactly the most tempting subject matter for most audiences, but those who dare to take the plunge will find a tremendously affecting, sublimely performed psychological drama which largely avoids sensationalism. Dequenne gives an awards-worthy turn as Murielle, the mother who feels increasingly suffocated by her husband's (Tahar Rahim) controlling, adoptive father (Niels Arestrup). A fascinating examination of how even the very best intentions can lead to the worst outcomes, Our Children concludes in emotionally shattering fashion with a sequence leading to the murders that's damn near impossible to forget.