24 Days

January 20, 2006 begins just like any other day for Ruth Halimi, a Parisian receptionist and divorced mother of three adult children. She goes to work, buys a pair of boots for her son Ilan, and then prepares a Shabbat dinner for Ilan and daughter Yaël. Little does Ruth know, this seemingly innocuous Friday will be the preface to the most horrific experience of her life. After dinner, Ilan rushes out to get drinks with sexy Emma, whom he met at work, before his girlfriend Mony gets home. Yet, Ilan never makes it to Mony’s apartment. The following day, an anonymous email informs his family that Ilan has been kidnapped and won’t be released until they forfeit €450,000. Without money to pay the ransom, Ruth and ex-husband Didier seek help from the police. But can they trust a team of investigators, wire-tappers, and an expert negotiator to outwit a perverse anti-Semite? A true crime drama, based on Ruth Halimi’s memoir, 24 DAYS depicts an ordinary family’s confrontation with inconceivable hate. (In French with subtitles) – E.B.