Tonight on TV: One of the hottest news stories of the last 50 years

On June 24, 1991, Ghislaine Marshall, a 65-year-old wealthy widow, was found dead in the basement of her villa in Mougins. Bloody letters accuse: “Omar killed me.” A few days later, Omar Raddad, his gardener, was imprisoned in Grasse prison. He speaks little, has a poor understanding of French, and has a quiet and serious reputation. Therefore, he is the obvious culprit.

• Want another TV tip tonight? We recommend the comedy duo’s theatrical run, which is sold out!

In 1994, outraged by the verdict, Pierre-Emmanuel Vogrenard, a writer convinced of Omar Radad’s innocence, moved to Nice to conduct his own investigation and write a book about the case.

After the Omar Raddad case in the 1990s became the subject of a film released in 2011. Called sober, Omar Killed Me, it is based on two books: Omar, building a criminal by essayist, novelist and columnist Jean-Marie Ruat, published in 1994 and Why me ? by Omar Raddad, published in 2002.

When he was offered the title role, Roshdi Ze chose to go behind the camera for the second time in his career. He entrusted the lead role to Sami Bouajilla, a long-time friend with whom he had collaborated on Indigènes and Hors-la-loi.

Of Tunisian origin, the latter learned Moroccan and worked on the very pronounced accent that Omar Raddad had during the novel, in addition to losing weight.

His performance, which received a César nomination for Best Actor, makes the film an absolute immersion in the intense atmosphere. Without revisionism, Roshdi Zemi paints with sensitivity and fidelity the portrait of a person crushed by the media-legal machine. Don’t miss it.

Omar killed me By Roshdi Zemi with Sami Bouajila, Denis Podalides, Maurice Benichou…

Tonight at Arte at 20:55.