The Night of the 12th, the crime thriller from Dominik Moll, is set to air on France 2 on Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 9:10 p.m. Debuted in Cannes Première at the Festival de Cannes 2022, the film went on to win six César Awards at César 2023, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Adaptation.
The Night of the 12th
Film | 2022
In cinemas: July 13, 2022
Broadcast on France 2: Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 9:10 p.m.
Crime, thriller | Runtime: 1h 54m
Directed by Dominik Moll | Screenplay: Dominik Moll, Gilles Marchand
Starring Bastien Bouillon, Bouli Lanners, Théo Cholbi
Nationality: France, Belgium
At PJ, every investigator stumbles across a crime they can't solve, and which haunts them. For Yohan, it's Clara's murder. Question after question, suspect after suspect, Yohan's doubts grow and grow. Only one thing is certain: the crime took place on the night of the 12th.
Adapted from Pauline Guéna's book 18.3 — A Year in the Criminal Investigation Department, The Night of the 12th leans on an unsolved case and the day-to-day life of investigators. Director Dominik Moll sets the story between Grenoble and the Maurienne valley, in a setting where the police inquiry becomes a portrait of obsession.
After a strong run at the Cannes Film Festival and in theaters, La Nuit du 12 swept six César Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Most Promising Actor (for Bastien Bouillon), Best Supporting Actor (for Bouli Lanners), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound.
From the opening credits, the film’s premise is laid bare: we’re watching the story of an unsolved crime—the murder of young Clara, found on the night of the 12th. Around her swirl a host of suspects, all men. And the kicker: any one of them could have done it, but Yohan, the detective in charge, can’t pin down a single suspect for lack of evidence...
Far from the flash of American thrillers, this film makes realism its priority. The crime unfolds in a small, remote province where everyone knows everyone and resources are scarce... The investigation is often gripping, but that isn’t what the filmmaker behind Seules les Bêtes is most interested in. Here, it’s clearly the woman’s perspective that’s being examined, along with the rupture between generations.
The direction is meticulous and relentless, and even though we know the crime will never be solved, the suspense stays intact and the film remains surprising from start to finish. Above all, the performances are extraordinary. Bouli Lanners and Bastien Bouillon, both recognized for their work, carry the movie on their shoulders and turn La Nuit du 12 into a ruthless thriller that stunned the Césars.
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