I've always thought of that powerful phrase, "I will not give you the gift of hating you" born of heartbreak in these last 5 years and Antoine's letter is just as strong as when I had first heard it back then as I do again here now. I hope that father and his son are living well.

What a hard letter to write. And so hard to read without breaking down into just a puddle of tears and pain.

I was there. It was even more moving to hear it live. Not a dry eye in the place.

Five years later I am just now hearing (& about) this letter for the first time. Brilliant, and brutal. Love to you, Antoine Leiris, and your son. Love, also, to you, Helene Muyal. Thank you, Mr. Firth, for the reading.

that was so beautiful. he did the letter immense justice. deeply moving.

“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day every day.”

Thank you, Mr. Firth. That was beautiful.

An astonishing letter, deeply moving. I hope that Antoine and his son find peace.

Beautiful deep words ....he is such a beautiful person Leiris. May his lovely wife rest in peace , she did not deserve to die and leave behind their son.

What a personal tragedy for that man and his little boy. He put his feelings, his heart into words better than I could have done. Amazing.. beautiful and heartbreaking.

What a wonderful letter! How the writer was able to do that is unfathonable.

On Friday evening, you stole the life of an exceptional person. A love of my life. A mother of my son. But you will never have my hatred. I don't know who you are, and I don't want to know. You are dead souls. If this God for whom you killed so blindly, made this in His image, then every bullet in the body of my wife is a wound in His heart. So no. I will not give you the gift of hating you. You obviously want it. By responding to it with anger would be to give in to the same ignorance that made you what you are. You would like me to be scared, for me to look at my fellow citizens with a suspicious eye. For me to sacrifice my liberty for my security. You have lost. I saw her this morning. At last, after nights and days of waiting. She was as beautiful as when she left on Friday evening. As beautiful as when I fell head over heels in love with her, more than twelve years ago. Of course I am devastated with grief. I will give you your victory, but it will be short-lived. I know she will join us every day, and we will find each other in the paradise of free souls which you will never have access to. There are only two of us, my son and I. But we will be stronger than every army in the world. I can not waste any more time on you, as I must go back to my son who has just woken up from his sleep. He is only just seventeen months old. He is going to eat his snack, just like every other day. And then we are going to play, just like every other day. And all his life, this little boy will be happy and free. Because you don't have his hatred, either. Antoine Leiris

I don't know how he managed that without breaking - so beautiful - I'm a mess

I remember listening to this letter after the attack and I continue to learn from its message as much as I can. I wish we all did.

So powerful. There’s so much hatred in this world. I hope people stop hating others, stop giving them that gift.

Romantic for his love yet heartbreaking for his loss.

A beautiful reading of a beautiful letter.

Mr Antoine is one hell of a wise and kind hearted man. I am so goddamn sorry for his loss.

Beautifully written and beautifully read. All my love to the Leiris family xx

His voice is so perfect for reading words of love.

Mr. Leiris, that was such a beautiful letter. Well-written and well-said. I am so sorry for your loss. Your son is very blessed to have you as his father. Colin, that could not have been read better. Thank you! ❤️

I don't how Colin read that without tearing up. I wouldn't have been able to.

Beautifully read, just spine tingling and well done Colin. I don’t think just anyone could have read this. 🦋🇦🇺🌅

how can anyone read this without crying. amazing what actors do

I read this letter on fb a few days after it happened and I cried so hard.

When he said 17 months old I couldn't cope

Merci monsieur Firth. A beautiful reading of hope..

Love and Light to you Antoine and your son. That letter was a powerful explanatory vision.

Heartbreaking. Firth read that beautifully.

Who are the 9 people who gave this beautiful thing the thumbs down? One can only surmise as to their motives.

Made me cry , so beautiful

Even Collins voice started to waiver 🥺 the lump in his throat would have been huge 😢

Colin Firth is my spirit animal 😀. I love this man so much. What a talent.

So moving. Sitting by myself, tearing up and clapping along with the crowd. Bravo.

I'm so touched. What an inspiring letter.

So utterly poignant and beautiful!

So powerful, dignified and so full of love. I hope you and your boy are happy and thriving. So much love to you both

So emotional it was beautiful

Heart wrenching to hear Colin Firth read this with such emotion and compassion.

Thank you to the you tube algorithms for bringing this back to me, it's so beautifully written bless the families effected by this pain. And thank u for reading this and highlighting love to all.

Remarkable…thank you, algorithm.

This had me weeping. Such a powerful message, my love to Antoine, his son and all the beautiful people taken. 🙏🙏❤️

Just listening and I'm sobbing. How did Colin not break down in tears?

What a beautiful eloquent letter read with such respect and emotion. I was in awe

*What a profound piece of art that letter was!* It moved me to my core, and made me step back and take a good long look at myself! I pray I'm never in that situation, but if I am, I hope I could handle it such a beautiful powerful way!

Whoa... Touched on so many levels. Kudos Mr. Firth. Love to the husband and son.

Heartbreaking.

Wow! The feelings are so well expressed. To deprive a little boy of his mother was too much to bear!😢

Thank you for sharing this. Living souls are truly what make God smile. My mother died 15 years ago on this day. I know that she is wherever there is Beauty. 🌸🕯🕊❤️

So moving and heart wrenching.

Thank you for the powerful message

He cried. I don't understand why someone can be dislike this.

So extraordinarily powerful. The spirit and soul of M. Leiris is exceptional. Beautifully read.

So very powerful.

BEAUTIFULLY DONE !

This was gorgeous. I hope someday you release Tobias Menzies's reading.

So incredibly moving.

Heartbreaking yet powerful beyond measure ❤️

I have watched this so many times and even so it still gives me chills and breaks my heart every time.

So moving - both the letter and Colin's reading. You could see that it affected him just as it will affect every normal human being.

Heart wrenching.

Read with so much emotion, xx

I remember this. What a great person to pen that letter.

Absolutely amazing.

God, how did I get to read this and cry my heart out? It’s so full of love and pain. May her soul rest in peace and I pray that you continue to have that mindset of never giving in to hate for those monsters. God give you strength to care for your Boy.

So emotional. Bravo.

thank you

Merci Colin.....

Colin Firth is my favorite actor in the whole world for doing justice to Mr. Darcy in BBC pride and prejudice.... no one has done that character justice before.... or since, in my opinion. 😊 And that just shows his talent coz Darcy is understated and is more himself by what he doesn't say and how he acts.

To be loved like that...

A wonderfully emotive letter read by Colin Firth.

Beautiful... so moving.

I met Helene Muyal when she lived in the United States in Philadelphia. At the time we were young kids. She was 17 when I first met her. We had our group of friends together and had good times. Helene was an amazing gem of a person. Rest in paradise Helene we all miss you back in the States.. You did not deserve that..

And you, sir, are the brave one. The killer is the coward.

beautiful performance, really nice

Whay an emotional & beautiful letter, written at a time when her husband must have been in so much pain, but there was no hatred in his words...just Love, for his poor wife, & for his Son, who i'm sure will grow up & have a happy life, regardless of the awful atrocity that took his Mommy away. My prayers go out to that family & lots of Love for a better future xx

So moving.

Heartbreaking powerfull stuff. I sincerely hope the writer has managed his goal and is now raising a happy son. 🥺

Magnificent.

This was not how I felt. I'll carry that hate forever, and the man who killed my love was just a drunk driver. He's out of prison enjoying life with his kids, and I'm here, stuck in time, wondering if you ever really loved someone if you don't hate who took them from you. Fuck forgiveness.

Thank you YT ❣️

Time had passed, but his voice is the same like " in vain i have struggled but it won't do. Allow me to tell you how ardently i admire and love you" P&P

how is it possible that someone can make me cry in 2 minutes....

I have no words😥

They do have my hatred!

i have tears welled in my eyes. Too sad.

I’m not sure that applause was the appropriate conclusion to that letter. I don’t criticise it. Not at all. It’s our reflexive expression of approval, support and, I suppose in such circumstances, polite solidarity. I, no doubt, would have contributed to that expression. But, with the benefit of reflection, I would have preferred silence, the sort of silence that would magnify Mr Leiris’s already powerful words and sentiments so well rendered by Mr Firth. Thank you.

Ouch 😢

Wow!!!! 💔💔💔

This is amazing ❤

How he held that together.....

What a truly amazing men they both are.

Respect, love and best wishes Antoine to you and your son.

Wow..... Just ....wow...

For me, this is the point of being able to forgive. It's not about letting someone away with something. It's so much more that you give to yourself. Like peace a peaceful soul. Deep seated peace is better than deep-seated hatred. Thankyou for sharing your thoughts Antoine.

and now i'm crying

Translate that in any language, it will always make me cry.

Beautiful

Yes. Hatred is a waste.

Could not stop crying.