Bruno Reidal

France, 1905: A gruesome crime takes place in a forest near the village of Raulhac in the Departement of Cantal. The 17-year-old seminarian Bruno Reidal decapitates a 13-year-old boy and turns himself in to the authorities shortly afterwards. The case fascinates the renowned criminologist Professor Alexandre Lacassagne, who wants to get to the bottom of the killer's psyche with his team. He asks Bruno to write down his life story. Bruno's notes paint a picture of a shattered childhood. Bruno grew up in poor circumstances, characterized by abuse and emotional coldness in the family. He developed disturbing fantasies of violence at an early age, which he desperately tried to suppress. Seminary seems to be his only escape from his surroundings and his dark thoughts - but even there he is haunted by his impulses. He projects his disturbing fantasies onto his classmate Blondel in particular, while silently struggling with feelings of guilt. The discrepancy between his outward appearance as a pious and diligent pupil and his inner abysses grows ever greater.