The film is based on documents compiled by French philosopher, Michel Foucault. In a Normandy village in 1835, a young man, Pierre Rivière, murdered his mother, sister and brother before fleeing to the countryside.
Using a cast of local villagers, the film uses detailed and historically accurate re-enactments to create an intense, disturbing atmosphere. The crime and resultant trial is recounted from varied perspectives, including Pierre's confession. The result is a rich, complex narrative that interrogates truth and history.
Foucault, Michel (1982). I, Pierre Riviére, Having Slaughtered My Mother, My Sister, and My Brother: A Case of Parricide in the 19th Century. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN978-0803268579.
