Casus Belli

A “casus belli” is, literally, a cause for war. This cause can be essential or trivial, and the fire it ignites can be a world war or a neighborhood quarrel. Certain stages are found regardless of the size of the conflict: misunderstanding - interpretations of signs, actions or words - denigration - direct or veiled insults - escalation. It is easier to light a fire than to put it out! This film looks at the difficult job of bringing people at odds with each other back to relative peace. Two professions and two places are explored: the neighborhood mediator, who listens, refrains from giving advice, and tries to get the parties to find a solution themselves, and the judge of the peace, who sometimes makes a decision, and sometimes tries to reach an agreement – sometimes by force. Before them is the theater of humanity, with its tricks, its bragging, its maneuvers of seduction, and its sincerity.