Au nom de ma fille (Kalinka)
04/03/17 Filed in: Amazon Prime
Another high quality French film that recounts a true story of how a father pursued justice for his daughter over 30 years. While many films that are based on real events come across as a bit over dramatised, this film has a very authentic feel to it and certainly seems to adhere very closely to the actual events of this case.
André and Danièle Bamberki have two children, a son and a daughter, Kalinka. We're introduced to them at their home in Casablanca, Morocco. Dieter Krombach is a German doctor who helps the family when their car goes off the road, injuring Kalinka. After this episode he becomes very attentive towards Danièle and they end up having an affair. André discovers German language learning tapes at home and this alerts him to what's going on. Despite Danièle saying that the affair was over, André remains suspicious and once more finds that she is with Krombach. This leads to their divorce.
The children go to visit their mother in her new home with Krombach in Germany. While there Kalinka mysteriously dies, aged only 14, allegedly as a result of an injection of Kobalt-Ferrlecit (cobalt-iron), given by Krombach supposedly to help her tan. André is, however, suspicious and obtains the autopsy report. This indicates that his daughter may have been sexually assaulted. From this point on he is convinced that Krombach isn't telling the truth and sets out to uncover exactly what happened. His daughters body is exhumed and a further autopsy shows that the sexual organs had been removed, a fact that further deepens his suspicion.
André and Danièle Bamberki have two children, a son and a daughter, Kalinka. We're introduced to them at their home in Casablanca, Morocco. Dieter Krombach is a German doctor who helps the family when their car goes off the road, injuring Kalinka. After this episode he becomes very attentive towards Danièle and they end up having an affair. André discovers German language learning tapes at home and this alerts him to what's going on. Despite Danièle saying that the affair was over, André remains suspicious and once more finds that she is with Krombach. This leads to their divorce.
The children go to visit their mother in her new home with Krombach in Germany. While there Kalinka mysteriously dies, aged only 14, allegedly as a result of an injection of Kobalt-Ferrlecit (cobalt-iron), given by Krombach supposedly to help her tan. André is, however, suspicious and obtains the autopsy report. This indicates that his daughter may have been sexually assaulted. From this point on he is convinced that Krombach isn't telling the truth and sets out to uncover exactly what happened. His daughters body is exhumed and a further autopsy shows that the sexual organs had been removed, a fact that further deepens his suspicion.
There follows an uphill legal battle to bring Krombach to justice. After getting nowhere in Germany, André eventually secures a trial in France, but with Krombach in absentia. He is convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, resulting in an international arrest warrant being issued. But Germany refuses to extradite him, and one is left to assume that he has friends in high places. The years continue to pass and we next see Krombach in court in Germany accused of another rape, the circumstances being remarkably similar to that of Kalinka, the assault following an injection. He is found guilty of assault but not rape and receives a suspended sentence, but he is banned from practising as a doctor. Suspecting that he will try to obtain employment outside of Germany, André and a friend circulate the international arrest warrant in neighbouring countries. This results in Krombach's arrest in Austria, but again the German authorities apply pressure and he is released.
Faced with the total failure of the judicial system to bring Krombach back to France to serve his sentence, André takes the law into his own hands and arranges Krombach's kidnapping, arranging for him to be dumped in France where the police are alerted to his presence. André then resists further prevarication by the French justice system and Krombach, nearly 30 years after the death of Kalinka, is finally brought to justice.
André Bamberki dedicated his life to obtaining justice for his daughter. He was obstructed at every stage, his former wife refusing to accept that Krombach was guilty, although she was ultimately presented with incontrovertible evidence. André's relationship with a new partner, Cécile, broke down as she could no longer handle the stress of the situation. His father had previously suggested that he should perhaps let the matter rest for the sake of his relationship with Cécile. But nothing would divert him from his need to see that his daughter's death was recognised for what it was - murder.
Faced with the total failure of the judicial system to bring Krombach back to France to serve his sentence, André takes the law into his own hands and arranges Krombach's kidnapping, arranging for him to be dumped in France where the police are alerted to his presence. André then resists further prevarication by the French justice system and Krombach, nearly 30 years after the death of Kalinka, is finally brought to justice.
André Bamberki dedicated his life to obtaining justice for his daughter. He was obstructed at every stage, his former wife refusing to accept that Krombach was guilty, although she was ultimately presented with incontrovertible evidence. André's relationship with a new partner, Cécile, broke down as she could no longer handle the stress of the situation. His father had previously suggested that he should perhaps let the matter rest for the sake of his relationship with Cécile. But nothing would divert him from his need to see that his daughter's death was recognised for what it was - murder.