Crans-Montana, Investigating a Tragedy

A tv programme

Directed by

Mathieu Mouraud, Stéphane Munka

Produced by

Studiofact Media Group

Leading French distributor

RMC Découverte et Story

Production year2026

Programme formatOne-off

GenresDocumentary

Runtime 70 min

Synopsis

Midnight. In Crans-Montana, the New Year begins in a festive atmosphere. The resort is crowded; celebrations are in full swing. Within moments, everything changes. At 1:30 a.m., the bar La Constellation catches fire. Forty young people lose their lives. More than a hundred are injured. This documentary offers a gripping, minute-by-minute immersion into the heart of the tragedy. The alert, the panic, the disorganization, then the race against time. Emergency responders mobilized under absolute urgency, the injured, relatives of the victims, direct witnesses, and lawyers recount from the inside those moments when every second counts and decisions are made under extreme pressure. Through their intertwined accounts, the film precisely reconstructs the sequence of events and relives the first hours of chaos. It also highlights acts of courage, moments of solidarity, and decisive choices that helped save lives. But beyond the human tragedy, the documentary raises questions. How could such a catastrophe have happened? What failures preceded the disaster? Which decisions weighed heavily on the course of events? The investigation traces the chain of responsibility, focusing in particular on the role of the managing couple, whose decisions are now at the center of the inquiries. A rigorous narrative that confronts testimonies, established facts, and gray areas, seeking to understand what unfolded that night, and why, one month later, some questions remain unanswered.