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Anatomy of a Fall

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Justine Triet became only the third woman to win the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d’Or, for this engrossing psychological mystery thriller. In Anatomy of a Fall, when Samuel is found dead outside his alpine cabin it’s clear he plunged from the attic window. But did he jump, or was he pushed? The physical evidence is inconclusive, but the widow, Sandra looks eminently suspicious to the French authorities: she’s a prickly German novelist, and there is a recording of a violent argument she had with Samuel just the day before his death. The only other witness who might shed some light on the case is the couple’s visually impaired ten-year-old son. But as the trial proceeds, his faith in his mom’s innocence is shaken.

Triet (who cowrote the screenplay with her life partner, Arthur Harari) proves there is still life in the courtroom drama. The film follows twin tracks: the nitty gritty interpretation of the evidence (which as the title suggests, hinges on the fall itself), and concurrently an anatomy of Sandra and Samuel’s marriage, which, in his absence, largely becomes an interrogation of her moral character. Layered and complex, this is compelling drama with a knockout performance from Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann).

Anatomy of a Fall is formidable stuff, and you should arrange to watch it at the cinema with your most captious friends.

Anthony Lane, New Yorker

Though some may come for the murder mystery, it’s Triet’s way of using that genre to get at deeper notions of love turning to hate, and tiny marital fissures that turn into chasms, that really makes this something close to an anti-romantic masterpiece.

David Fear, Rolling Stone

Director

Justine Triet

Cast

Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado Graner, Antoine Reinartz, Samuel Theis

Credits
Country of Origin

France

Year

2023

Language

In French with English subtitles

Awards

Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival; Best International Film, New York Film Critics

Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay

19+
152 min

Book Tickets

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Credits

Producer

Marie-Ange Luciani, David Thion

Screenwriter

Justine Triet, Arthur Harari

Cinematography

Simon Beaufils

Editor

Laurent Sénéchal

Production Design

Emmanuelle Duplay

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