The New Protocol (2008) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A grieving father investigates a clinical-trial system and ends by confronting the corporate authority he believes enabled his son's death.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Death Without Answers

Raoul faces his son's death and learns that clinical trials may be connected to it. A pharmacy search and a guarded laboratory response push him toward Paris.

Key Events

• A Son Dies in a Ravine — Raoul's son dies after a vehicle leaves the road and falls into a ravine. Characters: Raoul Kraft Location: A forest road
• Diane Reveals the Trial — Diane tells Raoul that his son participated in clinical trials for a new drug. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Raoul's forestry operation
• The Pharmacy Is Searched — Burglars search the pharmacy but find nothing because Raoul has the pills. Characters: Raoul Kraft Location: Raoul's pharmacy
• Meeting at Nextys — Raoul meets Pleynel, who denies that the trial caused side effects. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Pleynel Location: Nextys laboratory
• Conference Accusation — Diane accuses Louise of conducting dangerous trials on African populations. Characters: Diane, Louise Verneuil Location: A public conference

The Dangerous Informant

Diane exposes accusations against Hexcelor but is also revealed to have tried to steal the medication. Raoul nevertheless protects her and joins her investigation.

Key Events

• Conference Accusation — Diane accuses Louise of conducting dangerous trials on African populations. Characters: Diane, Louise Verneuil Location: A public conference
• Diane Is Expelled — Louise has Diane removed from the conference after the accusation. Characters: Diane, Louise Verneuil Location: A public conference
• The Hidden Theft Attempt — Raoul realizes that Diane previously tried to steal the medication from him. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Diane's home
• Raoul Saves Diane — Raoul rescues Diane from two individuals attempting to capture her. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Diane's home
• William Receives the Pills — Raoul entrusts the medication to William for laboratory analysis. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane, William Location: William's meeting place
• A Suspicious Accident — Raoul becomes convinced that neither the car nor driving caused the accident. Characters: Raoul Kraft Location: The crash site

Inside the Trial Machine

Raoul and Diane uncover the Nextys-Hexcelor connection and steal important documents. Pleynel challenges Diane's credibility while defending the official account.

Key Events

• A Suspicious Accident — Raoul becomes convinced that neither the car nor driving caused the accident. Characters: Raoul Kraft Location: The crash site
• The Trial Connection — Diane links Nextys to Hexcelor through a subcontracting agreement. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Paris
• Second Attack — Armed men attack Diane, and Raoul saves her before they flee. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Paris
• Documents Stolen — Raoul and Diane break into Nextys and steal documents, including the case file. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Nextys laboratory
• Pleynel Intercepted — Raoul and Diane intercept Pleynel, who again denies any anomaly. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane, Pleynel Location: A forest road
• Diane's Legal Exposure — Pleynel says Diane threatened him and has been under judicial supervision. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane, Pleynel Location: A forest road

The Placebo Trap

William reports that the medication is a placebo, but the promised meeting becomes a police ambush. Diane is shot and dies during the escape.

Key Events

• Diane's Legal Exposure — Pleynel says Diane threatened him and has been under judicial supervision. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane, Pleynel Location: A forest road
• The Placebo Result — William says the medication is a placebo and arranges a meeting to deliver the results. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane, William Location: Paris
• Police Pursuit — Raoul recognizes the meeting as a trap, and police chase them through Paris. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Paris streets
• Diane Dies — Diane is shot during the escape and dies from her wounds. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Diane Location: Paris streets

Davos and Final Judgment

Raoul confronts Louise in Davos and hears her justification for continuing the trials despite depressive symptoms. A televised appearance by Louise and Pleynel drives him to assassinate Louise and surrender.

Key Events

• Infiltration at Davos — Raoul assumes a security guard's identity and enters Louise's hotel room. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Louise Verneuil Location: A hotel in Davos
• Louise Explains the Protocol — Louise says depressive symptoms were observed but the trial continued. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Louise Verneuil Location: Louise's hotel room
• The Suicide Claim — Louise suggests that Raoul's son committed suicide and defends the trial's rationale. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Louise Verneuil Location: Louise's hotel room
• Smiles on Television — Raoul sees Louise and Pleynel smiling together on television after a tense discussion. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Louise Verneuil, Pleynel Location: A hotel room in Davos
• Conference Assassination — Raoul shoots Louise during her speech while Pleynel remains part of the televised conference context. Characters: Raoul Kraft, Louise Verneuil, Pleynel Location: Davos Conference Palace
• Raoul Surrenders — After killing Louise, Raoul gives himself up to the authorities. Characters: Raoul Kraft Location: Davos Conference Palace

Story Breakdown

• Raoul's Personal Loss — Raoul's grief becomes the emotional and investigative foundation of the story.
  • Death In The Ravine — Raoul's son dies after a vehicle leaves the road and falls into a ravine.
  • Questions About The Crash — Raoul becomes certain that neither the car nor driving caused the accident.
• The Clinical Trial Mystery — Information about an experimental drug leads Raoul toward Nextys and Hexcelor.
  • Diane's Disclosure — Diane tells Raoul about the clinical trial involving his son.
  • Nextys Denial — Pleynel denies side effects and rejects any anomaly in the case.
• Diane's Dangerous Agenda — Diane is both an accuser of the trial system and a compromised investigative partner.
  • Public Accusation — Diane accuses Louise of dangerous trials and is expelled from a conference.
  • Hidden Medication Theft — Raoul discovers that Diane previously tried to steal the medication.
• The Corporate Connection — The investigation connects the Nextys laboratory to Hexcelor's clinical-trial structure.
  • Subcontracting Agreement — Diane identifies a subcontracting relationship between Nextys and Hexcelor.
  • Stolen Trial Files — Raoul and Diane break into Nextys and take several documents.
• The Investigation Collapses — Official denials, a placebo result, and a police trap destroy the investigation's remaining safety.
  • Pleynel's Counterclaim — Pleynel accuses Diane of threatening and harassing his laboratory.
  • Placebo Ambush — William reports a placebo result, but the arranged meeting leads to a police pursuit.
• Davos Final Reckoning — Raoul confronts Louise, hears the protocol's moral justification, and chooses violent retribution.
  • Louise's Justification — Louise says the trial continued despite depressive symptoms to produce benefits for others.
  • Public Assassination — Raoul kills Louise during her conference speech and then surrenders.

Directed by

Thomas Vincent

Key Cast

• Clovis Cornillac — Raoul Kraft
• Marie-Josée Croze — Diane
• Dominique Reymond — Louise Verneuil
• Stéphane Hillel — Pleynel
• Gilles Cohen — William