By George Kozera
Winner of the Palme d’Or this year at the Cannes Film Festival, Co-Writer and Director. Justine Triet‘s, ANATOMY OF A FALL makes its Canadian Premiere at TIFF and this auspicious movie deserves a plethora of critical and awards laden attention. Sandra Hüller plays Sandra, a successful German Novelist on trial for the murder of her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis). Living in a chalet not far from Grenoble with her husband and their visually impaired 11-year- old son Daniel (Mio Machado Graner), the Movie opens with Sandra being interviewed by a graduate student when an instrumental version of 50 Cent‘s PIMP begins to loudly blast from the husband’s office in attic. Unable to continue the interview, the graduate student leaves followed by Daniel taking the dog for a walk. When he returns he finds his father dead on the ground, lying in a pool of blood. Did Samuel fall..did he jump…was he pushed by Susan? When the autopsy is incondusive, Sandra is arrested and along with an old friend of hers who happens to be a lawyer, Vincent (Swann Artaud), it is decided to go the suicide route as their legal defense.
ANATOMY OF A FALL is the fourth legal drama I’ve seen from France in eight months and the country’s courtroom proceedings fascinate me to no ends. Prosecutors and defense lawyers seem to be less concerned with justice than they are with winning and think nothing of regaling the jurors with conjectures, outlandish theories, distortions of facts and, in this movie, blatant homophobia. The prosecutor (expertly played by Antione Reinartz) is the most hissable villain I have seen on screen in recent history. Triet directs the court sequences with Hitchcockian assurance, but her masterpiece moment occurs when the court hears (and the audience sees) a 15-minute recording, taped in secret by Samuel, of him and Sandra in an intense argument that literally had me palpitating. It is up there with one of the most powerful moments I’d ever seen captured on celluloid.
I am uncertain if France will choose ANATOMY OF A FALL as its submission for Oscar consideration for 2023; there may be just too much English spoken in this Movie. But let’s start a hype campaign and have Sandra Hüller‘s name on the Best Actress list of nominees. Whereas the Actress may currently be best known for her role in “Toni Erdmann“, her performance here is superb. Sublime. Astonishing. As are Mio Machado Graner and Snoop the dog.
ANATOMY OF A FALL SCREENS at TIFF ’23:
Thursday Sept.7-Royal Alexandra Theatre-5pm
Friday Sept.8-Scotiabank -4pm
By Amanda Gilmore
No one does a courtroom drama better than the French. Last year Director Alice Diop brought us the engrossing Saint Omer and this year Director Justine Triet brings us the riveting Anatomy of a Fall.
It follows Sandra (Sandra Hüller), a well-esteemed writer, who lives in a secluded cabin in the French Alps with her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) and their partially blind son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner). One day, Daniel returns from walking the family dog and finds his father face down in the snow dead at the foot of the cabin. The investigation can’t determine if this was suicide or homicide leading to Sandra being arrested and tried for his murder.
The opening of Anatomy of a Fall has Sandra being interviewed by a student about her work. Abruptly, rap music blares and shakes through the cabin. Sandra informs the student that her husband enjoys listening to music loudly while he works on some repairs. At first glance, this scene seems unimportant. Yet, nothing about this Film should be taken at first glance.
Triet and co-writer Arthur Harari have crafted a complex story that’ll leave you second-guessing everything. This initial scene becomes evidence later in court. As does many moments from the mundane to the damaging. The most damaging is an audio recording of a heated argument between the couple that ended with glasses breaking and punches thrown. But by whom? Sandra or Samuel?
At the start of the trial, the prosecutor informs the court that Sandra’s bisexual and has had affairs. It’s clear this is just as important in the determination of her innocence as anything shown as evidence. Just as in many high-profile cases that are considered difficult to determine, the defendant’s private matters are dissected.
Triet doesn’t want to give you answers. She wants to show you the evidence presented and have you decide for yourself. Was it suicide? Was it homicide? What makes things more challenging to make a concrete decision is Hüller who gives a tour-de-force performance. She’s mysterious, intriguing, cruel, funny and nurturing. It’s an incredible portrayal and one of the year’s finest.
No matter what conclusion you’ve come to, Anatomy of a Fall’s superpower is the ability to leave room for the audience to debate. Because some will believe she did and some will believe she didn’t. Even more impressive, regardless of which side of the coin you fall on, every viewer will pinpoint a different part of the ‘evidence’ to prove their reasoning. Much like the reality we face in publicized high-profile court cases.
Anatomy of a Fall screens at Cannes ’23:
Sun May 21 at 4PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
Mon May 22 at 8:30AM at AGNÈS VARDA THEATRE
Mon May 22 at 9AM at CINEUM IMAX
Mon May 22 at 12PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
Mon May 22 at 9:30PM at LICORNE
Tue May 23 at 9AM at CINEUM AURORE
Wed May 24 at 9AM at CINEUM SCREEN X
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