Movie “Anatomy of a fall” won one Oscar at this year’s ceremony. They were awarded for the best original screenplay Justine Triet and Arthur Harari. “This will help me survive the midlife crisis better,” Trier began her speech, recalling that the beginnings of writing the script were not easy: “Those were the times of lockdown, you had to take care of a small child.” “No one was standing over us. It was complete creative freedom,” Harari added. The director also thanked the stars of her film from the stage.
What is “Anatomy of a Fall” about? The life of a happy family in the French Alps is interrupted when Samuel dies in a fall. Did he jump alone, slipped, or was Sandra, his wife and mother, pushing him from the balcony? Investigators lack evidence and the case lacks witnesses. In the public eye, Sandra will have to confess the smallest and most intimate details of her marriage, which may affect the verdict. The film won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
During the conference that took place right after the award for the best original screenplay, the authors of the script were asked about one of the film’s characters – Snoop the dog. Did the creators imagine from the very beginning that he would be played by a real animal?
“We were very aware that it would be really complicated to find a dog that could handle it. But we organized a thorough casting. We weren’t looking for a dog with a specific appearance or breed, just one with skills. Messi beat all the other dogs,” says Justine Triet .
The issues raised at the conference are reported by Artur Zaborski for Interia. Later in the meeting with journalists, Justine Triet talked about the behind-the-scenes of working on the script. The main problem was the language used in the film.
“We were very focused on the dialogues, almost morbidly. We wrote in French and when we translated the text into English, it turned out that not everything could be translated. For example, the argument scene. Of course, you can find some equivalents in English, but it’s not the same “- says the director.
“I believe that the film should be watched in its original language. I can’t imagine it being dubbed. What would it look like if the main character spoke English all the time, if at some point in the film she switches to this language? I opt for showing ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ in its original language version,” adds Harari.
Triet notes the popularity of European films in the United States.
“My film is very European, but it turns out that it can resonate well with people all over the world. This is proof that cinema is able to break down boundaries. This makes me very happy. For several years we have been observing how the Academy is opening up to films foreign films, which find an increasing audience in America. It also shows that diverse stories can influence people everywhere. And that cinema transcends borders, including cultural ones. Witnessing this is wonderful,” he says.
In “Anatomy of a Fall”, the theme song is an instrumental version of the song “PIMP”. Justine Triet was asked why she chose this song.
“I’m 45 years old. When I was younger, I listened to a lot of 50 Cent’s music. We had a long discussion about what song we could use on the loop. We thought about ‘Jolene’ by Dolly Parton, but we were denied the right to use it. I know it’s weird, that we started with Dolly Parton and ended with 50 Cent, but that’s how it was. I think it’s just the most passive-aggressive song for the main character’s husband. It was important to find a song that wasn’t too dark. It was more about to make it weird and yet hot. Of course, it’s a classic. I love the version we used. I’ve had it on my computer for five years. My daughter was obsessed with it. It’s legendary in my house.”
The director also talked about the main character of the film, played by Sandra Hüller.
“I think she is really interesting. And Sandra Hüller, who plays her, has brought a lot to this character. She has made the character transparent, that she is not trying to seduce the viewer. This makes us want to believe her, even though she doesn’t try to do so. Sandra played in an old-fashioned way, a certain stylized duplicity. There’s something about her that she doesn’t act on the set, she just lives with what’s happening to her character. It’s not theatrical, but a modern approach. I’m a fan of crime stories, I watch a lot of them. I know them well, and Sandra still brought something new to this genre for me,” sums up the Oscar winner.
Read more: Sandra Hüller is starting her international career after the age of 40. He has a chance for an Oscar