The End of Innocence

Petites tells the story of the Dutroux case through the testimonies of the generation of children, now grown up, who were exposed far too early with ignominy in the privacy of their homes. Their memories are altered by time, deformed by media coverage and limited by their youth and innocence. Together, their memories tell an intimate version of the story. A piece of collective memory. The Dutroux case is commonly described as Belgium's worst criminal case, where several young girls were abducted, raped and killed by Marc Dutroux in 1995-96. Adults who were between 7 and 17 years old at that time tell us about the striking images and moments they recall, their impact on their lives, their relation to adults, to the community, and also to sexuality. Their memories complement one another to form a collective voice-over. This narrative rebuilds the events from the disappearance of two young girls Julie and Melissa in 1995 to the trial of Marc Dutroux and his accomplices in 2004. Archives from TV combined with personal archives of the witnesses (school or family parties, scout camp,...) visually express the interference of this case with their intimacy.