The Human Toll Of Anti-Gay Hate

How does a family react to a son’s life taken because he is gay? The toll taken on those left behind is explored in PBS’ documentary Beyond Hatred premiering tonight.

On the night of September 13, 2002, in Leo Legrange Park in Rheims, France, Francois Chenu was brutally murdered by three neo-Nazi skinheads. When the trio came upon Francois they asked him if he was gay and he answered yes.

The twenty-nine-year-old fought back as the men beat him, then, when it was over, he called them cowards, prompting the men to kill their victim.

Acclaimed Director Olivier Meyrou dispenses with the dramatic reenactments. In fact, the film mostly ignores Francois’ death by drowning, opting instead to concentrate on the lives of the family left behind. It’s powerful filmmaking, to say the least.

Meyrou catches up with Francois’ parents and three sibling two years after his death, as the killers’ trial is about to open.

The documentary focuses on the mundane lives of the Chenu family, allowing us to sense the strength necessary to continue after such a brutal crime.

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Documentary on murder of a homosexual

PBS will be airing another hard-hitting P.O.V. series documentary, which on June 30 (10 p.m.). “Beyond Hatred” is the story of a family trying to recover after the 2002 murder of a gay man. Here’s a summary from PBS:
“In September 2002, three skinheads were roaming a park in Rheims, France, looking to “do an Arab,” when they settled for a gay man instead. Twenty-nine-year-old François Chenu fought back fiercely, but he was beaten unconscious and thrown into a river, where he drowned. The acclaimed French vérité film Beyond Hatred is the story of the crime’s aftermath; above all, of the Chenu family’s brave and heartrending struggle to seek justice while trying to make sense of such pointless violence and unbearable loss. With remarkable dignity, they fight to transcend hatred and the inevitable desire for revenge.
Shot in direct-cinema style, with dark tones and long, evocative takes, Beyond Hatred forgoes third-party narration to let those who must deal with the crime’s aftermath tell the story — the lawyers and prosecutors as they seek justice through the courts, those who knew the victim and his murderers, and even the father of one of the perpetrators. Most of all we hear from the Chenus: François’ father, Jean-Paul, and mother, Marie-Cécile, and his two brothers and two sisters, as they try to reconstruct what happened and face the horror of François’ last minutes.
You can watch the trailer here. This documentary goes to show that hate crimes are still alive and well worldwide. I hope you’ll tune in. See Documentary on murder of a homosexual
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