NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (March 2024): Criterion have transferred Alice Diop's Saint Omer to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 2K digital master and Director-approved". The 1080P video is, predictably, flawless because it is: a) a modern film and b) has a max'ed out bitrate on a dual-layered disc. There is one scene with some teal-leaning. There are a few out-of-courtroom scenes shot in Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France (Upper France), and a Hôtel-restaurant (hotel where Rama stays) - all in France. This HD presentation is stellar in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

NOTE: We have added 42 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 Surround track (24-bit) in the original French language with some Wolof and Italian. Saint Omer has minor instances of separation - the ocean waves / street noise - that don't test audio transfer. Part of the film's soundtrack is Rodgers + Hart 's Little Girl Blue beautifully sung by Nina Simone. The lossless handles it all perfectly. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray includes a new and an archival interview with director Alice Diop running ten minutes each. There is also a lengthy conversation between Diop and author Hélène Frappat (author of Le Gaslighting ou l'art de faire taire les femmes or Gaslighting or the Art of Silencing Women) plus there is an audio-only 1/2 hour conversation between Diop and filmmaker Dee Rees (Mudbound) from a 2023 episode of The Director’s Cut DGA Podcast. Where necessary the French language - extras have optional English subtitles. Lastly, are a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Jennifer Padjemi (Féminismes & pop culture.)

The French courtroom drama Saint Omer was Alice Diop's first narrative feature with much of her work being documentaries about contemporary French society's marginalized populations and refugees. Saint Omer won the Grand Jury Prize and the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a debut film at the Venice International Film Festival. Senegalese immigrant Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda) is a student accused of deserting her 15-month-old daughter on a Berck beach one evening. Eventually the infant dies, swept away by the tide and found by fishermen the next morning. It is based on the trial of convicted Fabienne Kabou - who gave birth in secret and raised her child, Adélaïde, alone in Paris. Director Alice Diop, attended her 2016 infanticide trial. In Saint Omer, novelist Rama (Kayije Kagame) attends Coly's trial. Rama is also from a mixed-race relationship with a Senegalese background - and is four-months pregnant sharing an emotionally empathetic connection with Coly. It's a brilliant cinema experience with important, deliberately paced, dialogue and a powerful exploration of the family dynamic. The Criterion Blu-ray has the film looking flawless, offering extensive extras with the director Diop. Saint Omer is very strongly recommended.

Gary Tooze