In lieu of heading to Toronto for TIFF as in pre-Covid time, I stay put in my city hoping some of my anticipated films might trickle down. Of the nine titles on my to-be-watched list, only one came to the Calgary International Film Festival. I’m glad it’s this year’s Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall.
French director Justine Triet is the third woman to have won the Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival’s top prize in sixty-eight years. The two previous winners were Julia Ducournau for Titane in 2021 and Jane Campion for The Piano in 1993. It’s interesting to note that Triet co-writes the screenplay with her husband Arthur Harari, encompassing English, French and a little German in the dialogues, showing how language can connect as well as alienate a couple depending upon the circumstance.
A teacher and struggling writer, Samuel (Samuel Theis) is found dead on the snow-covered ground of his chalet in the French Alp. The only other person in the house at that time is his wife Sandra (Sandra Hüller), a successful German novelist who has just finished an interview with a journalist in the living room, and loud music is on all this time from somewhere else in the house. The body is discovered by their eleven year-old son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), who comes home after walking their family dog Snoop. Actually, it’s Snoop that first finds the body as Daniel is visually impaired.
Two possibilities are pondered in the investigation of the fall, suicide or murder, Samuel being pushed out of the balcony outside the high attic. The main segment of the film is the trial a year later of Sandra, the wife, who stands accused of murdering her husband, with their blind son the sole witness in the courtroom drama. Sandra seeks the help of an old friend Vincent (Swann Arlaud) to be her attorney. Vincent isn’t a high profile lawyer, but he’s empathetic and rational in his reasoning. Since accidental death is the least plausible in this case, the only option to defend his client is to present evidence for suicide. Sandra might look stoic and aloof but Vincent’s support is essential during such a difficult time.
Intense and riveting throughout, Anatomy of a fall brings back the joy of pure cinema experience, that is, watching a film that’s made up of a well-crafted script delivered by superb acting, captured in astute camera work, especially with close-ups depicting the nuances of emotions, with no CGI effects, no car chases or apocalyptic explosions, just mere human interactions that speak volumes. And with that note, I must add too that sound or its absence is important in the film. From the loud music of a song by 50 Cent at the beginning to the piano pieces played by Daniel, extension of his inner struggles, all are crucial in the storytelling.
When a wife is on trial for the murder of her husband, every minute detail of their marital relationship will be dissected, dirty laundries aired out and conversations scrutinized without discretion. Out of consideration for not hurting Daniel’s feelings, he is excused on the day some raw evidence from a recording of a fight between his parents is to be played out in court, but he insists to be there. ‘I’ve already been hurt,’ he says.
And it is this voice recording––juxtaposed with flashback sequences for us viewers––that form the pivotal segment of the film, a highly charged, epitome of powerful acting especially from Hüller. It is also this raging recording that casts a doubt in Daniel’s mind regarding his mother, and a little clarity in understanding the balance of relational power between his parents. The flashback scene is for us viewers; in court, only the voices are heard. For Daniel, that is enough. What follows is the key to the the ingenuity of the script, leading to the eventual outcome of the trial.
Not only is her marriage on trial, Sandra’s own personal, psychological makeup is questioned. The prosecutor (Antoine Reinartz) uses anything he can find to create an image of Sandra being a cold and revengeful wife. The content of her novels are examined and taken as a revealing of her psyche. Herein lies an intriguing issue: can a work of fiction be used as evidence to incriminate its author in a court of law? For the prosecutor, to help his case, it’s convenient to equate Sandra’s novels as parallels of her real life. Defence lawyer Vincent is quick to rebut this reasoning, “is Stephen King a serial killer?”
The two and a half hour duration could have been tightened a bit, but sitting through it in the dark theatre with my sole attention drawn to the nuanced performance by the whole cast and in high anticipation of the trial result, I wasn’t aware of the time passing. Just found out France has submitted another film to enter the Best International Film category for 2024 Oscars, rendering Anatomy of a Fall out of the race in that category. Nevertheless, Hüller is worthy of a Best Actress Oscar nom, Machado Graner playing Daniel deserves some high praises, and Triet’s directing and her original screenplay need to be noted, the film could have a chance in the Best Picture category. Overall, a captivating work of suspense, character study, and intelligent filmmaking.
~ ~ ~ 1/2 Ripples
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Ripple Effects 
Thank you Arti.
On my list of movies to view!
Two months of mourning my best friend and husband, an escape from my personal reality is welcomed.
Isn’t that the original purpose of cinema? Escaping into another space, time and story?
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Hope you’ll have the chance to watch this, Heather. All the best to you! Take care.
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How very interesting. Of course I haven’t heard of this one but it does sound fascinating and quite gripping. I’ll keep an eye out for it in streaming.
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You’ll like this one.
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I almost saw this during the Edmonton International Film Festival, but I went with Monster, mostly due to the shorter running time! This is one I would rather watch at home.
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Monster would be another one I’d like to watch but couldn’t make it. I’ve enjoyed several Koreeda films in the past years. How do you like Monster?
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Oh I loved it!! It was my first one. I want to go back and watch Shoplifters. I loved the main actress especially.
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Shoplifters is good. I also like his earlier works especially Our Little Sister and Like Father Like Son. I’ve reviewed all of these. If you’re interested, they are listed and linked in the “Movies Reviewed” page in the main menu here on Ripples. 😉
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Oh, this sounds like an intense movie! Do you think you’ll ever get to go back to the Toronto Film Festival? Sounds like Calgary is smaller, but still good I hope!
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I’d like to go back to TIFF some day when the opportunity rises. And, we could see some festival movies months down the road. I can wait. Yes, if you have the chance, check this one out, Stefanie.
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Loved it! Here’s why it resonated with me on a personal level:
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I missed this in the cinema but luckily it is streaming. It was very uncomfortable viewing, but that also made the point powerfully to me. It made me question why I felt so uncomfortable for Sandra Hueller’s character, in thinking “I wish she were not behaving like that, she is putting herself in such a vulnerable position”. It emphasised the judgemental attitudes society has. And the script for Daniel and his acting were very well done.
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In one interview Sandra Huller admitted she didn’t even know if her character was guilty or not. Isn’t that interesting? Have u seen Zone of Interest? I’m still waiting for it. I’m glad SH got the recognition she deserves at both the BAFTA and Oscar noms.
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I saw the trailer for Zone twice as I watched 2 good films today! American Fiction was an intelligent and gentle comedy that made good points about racial prejudice and All of Us Strangers made me cry many times, and is based on a Japanese book. Do you have those films out near you? The Zone looked quite a chilling watch, and it also came with a trailer for a Steve McQueen film about the Amsterdam occupation. I read that too about not knowing whether the character was guilty or not and that gave the son’s take on it extra depth and made his point more satisfyingly.
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American Fiction is my fave for the awards season. I’ve written a capsule review on it in a previous post “Ripples from the 2024 Oscar Noms”. Please go back a couple of posts to read my take on all 10 Best Pic nominees.
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I finally saw this a month or so ago, and agree with your assessment. So well-made, and so nice to just focus on “mere human interactions that speak volumes”. Some people I know were interested in the legal system. Is this typical of French courts, or has artistic licence been taken. I loved the ending. There might be a court result, but what do we think, or, what do we think the son thinks. Beautifully, subtly done. And so excruciating at times!
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Glad you’ve enjoyed it WG… I knew you would. 🙂 As for the French court proceedings, I read somewhere that it’s quite realistic, very different from ours I must say. Anyway, fact or fiction… that’s supposed to be the blurriness writer/director JT intended. In one interview, actor SH said she didn’t even know if the wife was innocent or guilty, having played the character herself.
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Yes I read that too about SH. Interests me how some thought it was black and white. Actually, I think the main point is not whether she did it or not but what the son thought!
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Another movie that has an ambiguous ending is American Fiction based on Percival Everett’s book Erasure. Left a comment on your blog. Haven’t checked back yet. Have u seen the movie?
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No. We are not getting to as many these days which I want to rectify. I assume that one’s been here but I haven’t been keeping a close look. I did see 6 or 7 of the Oscar’s noms.
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Which do u like best among the Oscar noms?
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A question I can’t answer but I like quietly observed films so I liked Anatomy of a fall and Past lives. Wish I’d seen Zone of interest. Enjoyed The holdovers and Maestro but not Oscar winners. Oppenheimer and Barbie were good but again I do like subtle films! I think I saw you went for American fiction?
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Zone of Interest is exceptional. If you like subtle and quiet renditions this is one to watch, albeit its ‘subtlety’ is ironic. This is a must see. I think I’d rate it top of my list of Oscar noms. I’ve written a Ripple review of it.
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I will try to see it somehow, as it sounds up my alley. If I do, I’ll read your review.
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