‘Anatomy of a Fall’ is a ruthless court procedural that scrutinizes every aspect of a woman’s life when she’s accused of killing her husband.
Sandra (Sandra Hüller), Samuel (Samuel Theis) and their visually-impaired son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner) moved to a secluded house in France not long ago. She’s a successful writer and he’s a professor — a literary power couple on paper. One day, Daniel returns from taking his dog on a winter walk to find his father’s body lying in the snow at the side of the house. He screams for his mother who calls emergency services, but it was too late — Samuel was dead. But how did he die? Was he pushed from the balcony? Did he jump out the window? With an inconclusive autopsy, it’s up to the court to decide if Sandra murdered her husband, while their son learns all the gritty details of their imperfect marriage.
Every transgression, rumour or work of fiction the prosecutors deem relevant is submitted for consideration. Regardless of whether viewers think Sandra is guilty or not, it’s tough not to sympathise as they analyze intimate details of her life with Samuel and she’s forced to defend things that would normally go undetected or be forgotten. Consequently, watching the case unfold is emotionally trying as one can only imagine being put in a position to defend words said in the heat of the moment or refute subjective accounts of your personality and actions. As the only other witness, Daniel becomes a participant in the trial, though it’s interesting to watch them walk a tight rope during his questioning.
Setup as a courtroom drama, audiences will become engrossed in the intense trial as Sandra’s personality awaits a verdict.
Anatomy of a Fall had its Canadian premiere in the Special Presentations programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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Director: Justine Triet
Starring: Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud and Milo Machado Graner
