filmpost

This year’s Golden Lion Winner by Justine Triet is a cleverly planned psychodrama, in which Sandra Maleski is accused of her husband’s murder; only to show how the dynamics of a marriage can completely alter the perception of reality.

A review by Iliana Tsachpini

During the last days of August, while I was in Athens, a friend asked me if I wanted to watch Anatomy of a Fall (2023) at an open air cinema. I agreed without even having read the summary, so naturally, when the movie started, I had no idea what to expect. I was suddenly transferred from the warm, hectic atmosphere of Athens to a picturesque snowy landscape in a chalet in the French Alps. I was filled with calmness at the sight of it — but not for long. The mysterious ambiance of the film shifted my initial impression. 

Action begins as Sandra Maleski (Sandra Hüller), a very successful writer, is trying to give an interview — trying but not succeeding, as her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) is blasting his music, indirectly forcing the interview to stop. Minutes after this incident, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), their partially sighted son, goes for a walk with their dog, only to discover his father’s dead body on his return.  Samuel seems to have fallen from the terrace of their house, which he had been renovating. His corpse lies in front of the family’s chalet, blood is running out of his head. A disturbing image masked from the beauty of the mountains, yet horrifying enough to make Daniel scream. And so, the questions arise: Was he pushed? Did he fall on his own? Was it suicide? Was it an accident or not?

His wife Sandra is the prime suspect, since she was the only one there. A thorough police investigation begins and the case is eventually taken to court, with the goal to establish the truth behind Samuel’s death and the questions surrounding it. Through a round of testimonies given by multiple people, including Samuel’s therapist, their son Daniel and of course Sandra, we watch a series of individual narratives unfold before our eyes. A story told by many sides, offering a lot of perspectives to the case, but mostly capturing the inside world of a contemporary marriage and its decline. Through a flashback of an intense scene of a fight between Sandra and Samuel, brought to the viewer by Sandra’s own narrative, it becomes evident that their realities do not necessarily coincide. The accumulation of negative experiences results in emotional baggage and in the internalization of guilt. Intermarital issues also have an effect on Daniel, who gets caught up in the middle of this case, not being able to distinguish the truth himself.

Even though the film centers on a highly emotional incident and a clearly challenging time for the Maleski family, the filming style and camera movements remain objective, almost documentary-like, not providing the viewer with any inside information as to what happened. The film is not built like a classic mystery either, where the viewer eventually gets to see the real course of events; in this case, agony rises exactly because of the unknown truth. Viewers don’t experience Sandra’s emotions, but are in the position to develop their own. Not having direct empathy for the protagonist allowed me to follow the case from a more removed place.

Overall, the movie also introduces some interesting stylistic contrasts, both thematically and formally. Take, for instance, one of the first images of the movie, Samuel’s corpse on the snow. Here, the shot of the dark red blood staining the perfectly white snow indicates the brutality of the fall and marks a striking visual antithesis, while simultaneously juxtaposing the beauty of the landscape with the intensity of death within the almost naturalistic scene of a dead body on the ground. Another intriguing contrast for me arose from the monotony of the courtroom compared to the dynamic turn of events. In this  almost still-life-like room, we learn the entire life history of a family, we watch secrets unfold and experience a story through many storytellers; yet the majority of the film takes place in that same mundane courtroom. 

Once the movie was over, I was left thinking about the title. “Anatomy of a Fall” really captures the essence of the film. But is there a possible duality in the title? The literal fall of Samuel is analyzed so thoroughly, that we actually understand its “anatomy.” At the same time though, Sandra and Samuel’s marriage and its eventual decline, its eventual “fall,” are also dissected.

Anatomy of a Fall is worth a watch. Beautiful cinematography, eventful plot, impressive acting with Sandra’s monologue during the flashback of the fight between the couple being utterly captivating, especially considering the fact that the actress was not speaking her first language. A variety of subjects are addressed: intermarital issues, personal sacrifices and how they can contaminate a relationship and finally, disability, through Daniel’s sight impairment. A rather longer film (2h30’), but one that attracts one’s attention and definitely provokes some thought.

And lastly, a question worth asking: why do we examine the intricacies of a relationship in such detail only after its inevitable demise?