Original title: Anatomie d’une chute
France • Drama • Year: 2023 • Running time: 151 min
Languages: French • English
Audience Response: 16 slips returned
- ‘Excellent’: 11 votes
- ‘Very Good’: 3 votes
- ‘Good’: 1 vote
- ‘Satisfactory’: 0 votes
- ‘Poor’: 0 votes
- + one comment without a grade indicated.
Read the comments here or visit the “Anatomy Of A Fall” discussion page.
Synopsis:
For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their eleven-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead in the snow below their chalet, the police question whether he was murdered or committed suicide. Samuel’s suspicious death is presumed murder, and Sandra becomes the main suspect. What follows is not just an investigation into the circumstances of Samuel’s death but an unsettling psychological journey into the depths of Sandra and Samuel’s conflicted relationship.
There are no gimmicks here, useless side characters or unnecessary plot deviations or devices – just pure cinematic story-telling that questions what really happened and why.
Diana Tuova: Spotlight on Film
Director: Justine Triet
Sibyl (2019) / Age Of Panic (2013) / Two Ships (2012)
Writers: Justine Triet • Arthur Harari
Main Cast:
| Sandra Hüller | Sandra Voyter |
| Swann Arlaud | Maître Vincent Renzi |
| Milo Machado-Graner | Daniel |
(for full cast list, additional technical information and reviews, please visit the Anatomy Of A Fall pages in IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes)
Film Notes:
Director Justine Triet finally became a name to be reckoned with in European cinema with this 2023 global hit, earning over 110 awards, including the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. To date it has taken over $36 million against a modest budget of $6 million, making it a commercial as well as critical success.
After directing strong female leads in such films as Sybil and In Bed with Victoria, Triet moves away from her usual muse of Virginie Effra to the formidable talents of German actress Sandra Hüller who plays the central role of Sandra. Sandra finds herself accused of the murder of her husband in what initially seems to be a freak accident. As Sandra defends herself in court and to the public, various truths and harsh facts are revealed as the film reaches its dramatic conclusion. To add to the moral complexity, Sandra’s son, Daniel, is visually impaired so his role as main, if not only witness, is vital yet leaves him in a dilemma as to what to say and what to do for the best.
The pacing, script and performances in this film are all exceptional, particularly Milo Machado-Graner as Daniel. Whilst Sandra is cold, we feel the weight of morality on Daniel’s young shoulders. Special mention must also go to Snoop the border collie as Messi, the family dog, who plays a vital role in uncovering the (potential) truth behind the events leading up to the death. It is rare for an audience to access the start and end of a film through the eyes of a dog, but Triet, with Snoop’s help, does this effortlessly. Snoop won the Palm Dog for his sterling work.
If you enjoyed the performance from Hüller, later in the season we will be screening The Zone of Interest, featuring another stellar turn from this superstar of European cinema.