The Night of the 12th

The Night of the 12th

Year: 2023

Runtime: 115 min

Language: French

Director: Dominik Moll

Echo Score: 71

Budget: $4.4M

DramaMysteryThrillerCrime

In the city of Grenoble, a shocking murder disrupts the quiet streets, prompting Detective Yohan Vivès and his team to investigate the life of the victim, Clara. Their inquiry uncovers hidden secrets and a complicated network of relationships, exposing a twisted path of revenge and deception. As they delve deeper, the detectives must confront a web of motives and desires, where appearances are deceiving and the truth remains elusive.

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Timeline & Setting – The Night of the 12th (2023)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Night of the 12th (2023). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

2016–2019

The film opens on the night of October 12, 2016, in Grenoble, and follows an investigation that extends over nearly three years. It juxtaposes a single traumatic night with long, procedural inquiry across multiple seasons. The time frame emphasizes how unresolved violence lingers, affecting families, investigators, and the community.

Location

Grenoble, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, La Toussuire, Chambéry

The story unfolds across several French Alpine towns: Grenoble hosts the retirement party that triggers the murder investigation, while Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and La Toussuire anchor the crime in local social circles. The shifting settings—from a bustling city into quiet mountain communities—build a tense atmosphere where the crime overruns everyday life. The case gradually pulls in Clara’s friends and ex-partners, highlighting how intimate environments can become sites of danger.

🏙️ City settings 🗻 Alpine towns

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 03:57

Main Characters – The Night of the 12th (2023)

Meet the key characters of The Night of the 12th (2023), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Yohan Vivès (Bastien Bouillon)

A rising detective tasked with overseeing the captain’s retirement celebration turned crime scene. He is stubborn, methodical, and deeply committed to solving the case, even when concrete evidence remains elusive.

🔎 Detective 👨‍✈️ Leader

Marceau (Bouli Lanners)

A veteran detective who anchors the investigation with experience and blunt pragmatism. His temper can flare, but his dedication to justice keeps the pursuit going.

🕵️ Veteran 🔥 Temper

Clara Royer

The murdered young woman whose life and relationships become focal points for the detectives. Her social world is scrutinized for clues to who killed her and why.

💔 Victim 🎯 Focus

Nanie (Stéphanie Béguin)

Clara’s best friend who holds keys to her social circle and presses for answers about Clara’s lovers. She embodies loyalty and the tension between friendship and truth.

🗣️ Confidant 👯 Friendship

Nadia

A young recruit who joins the stakeouts at Clara’s grave and represents a fresh, hopeful outlook on crime and memory. Her involvement marks a new generation’s approach to the case.

🧭 Fresh perspective 🕊️ Hope

Vincent Caron

A man with a violent past and an affair with Clara who becomes a central figure in the network of potential suspects. His case complicates the detectives’ focus and reveals the danger of passion.

💔 Suspect 🧪 Affair

Nathalie

Vincent’s partner who defends him and provides an alibi, challenging the detectives’ push to pin the crime on him and illustrating how loyalty can obscure truth.

🕵️ Alibi 🤝 Loyalty

Denis Douet

An older man who claims to be connected to Clara and becomes a piece of the case’s puzzle. His statements about the lighter test the detectives’ assumptions.

🧩 Puzzle 🧊 Evidence

Wesley Fontana

Clara’s former coworker who suggests an intimate past and enters the lineup of potential ex-partners the detectives consider.

💑 Ex-partner 🔎 Suspicion

Jules Leroy

A casual partner of Clara whose testimony adds to the mosaic of people who knew her and the stories investigators must sort through.

🎤 Witness 💬 Connection

Gabi Lacazette

A man who channels Clara’s story into rap, signaling how art and rumor carry the crime through the community.

🎵 Memory 🗺️ Influence

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 03:57

Major Themes – The Night of the 12th (2023)

Explore the central themes of The Night of the 12th (2023), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔎 Investigation

A carefully paced police inquiry threads through Clara’s circle, tracing alibis and hidden histories. Detectives sift through multiple potential suspects, from ex-partners to close acquaintances, while truth emerges slowly and indirectly. The case highlights the persistence and limitations of modern forensics and interviews.

💔 Trauma

Clara’s murder shatters the lives of her family and friends, leaving emotional wounds that drive the narrative. The investigation reveals how gendered violence reverberates through communities and challenges notions of safety and trust. The story probes resilience, guilt, and the long shadow cast by violence.

🕰️ Time and Unsolved

Three years pass with the killer still unknown, underscoring the slow sediment of a case within the police psyche. An evolving approach—like staking out a grave and analyzing digital memorials—reflects how methods adapt over time. The unresolved status invites reflection on memory, justice, and patience.

🕯️ Memory and Obsession

Clara’s memory drives the investigation, with memorials and online tributes shaping suspect narratives. The graveyard stakeout and Mats’s fixation illustrate how obsession can blur mourning and violence. The detectives’ vigil suggests that remembrance can both honor and complicate the pursuit of truth.

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 03:57

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The Night of the 12th Summary

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