Did She Do It? A Deep-Dive Video Discussion About ‘Anatomy of a Fall’

Did She Do It? A Deep-Dive Video Discussion About ‘Anatomy of a Fall’

by Alex Billington
November 27, 2023
Source: YouTube

Did Sandra murder her husband? Or was it just an accident… Or did he kill himself? Did she do it? Or not? One of the most prominent & prickly debates in cinema in 2023. The film at the center is Anatomy of a Fall, originally known as Anatomie d’une Chute in French, made by writer / director Justine Triet. The film first premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and won the coveted Palme d’Or top prize, before making its way to every other major festival this fall – Telluride, TIFF, NYFF, Vancouver, and many others. Anatomy of a Fall is playing in theaters now – both in the UK and the US, along with many other countries. Once you’ve seen it, chime in with your opinion. After listening to so many other people drop strange takes on this film and its story – I decided to voice my opinion. Last week I recorded this video with fellow movie lover Reece Beaumont (aka @reospositivepov, based in London) for YouTube. We spent almost an hour debating & discussing that challenging question: did she do it? I think she did. Found out exactly why below.

One of the main reasons this is a tricky discussion to have is that there is no conclusion, there is no final answer or truth to discover: the movie doesn’t have an answer. Apparently even the star of the film, Sandra Hüller, was never told the answer either. The interview I reference where Triet talks about what is hidden within is from The Wrap here: “Who knows the real truth? To me, I think maybe that Sandra could be not guilty of murder but responsible for pushing him to commit suicide. Maybe? It’s a question of: What are we all responsible for in our lives?” The other true crime case I reference often is “The Staircase” trial about Michael Peterson. What bothers me the most is when I read reviews that insist the final shot with the dog or some other scene in the film provides a definitive answer. None of them do. We cover almost all of these scenes & bits of evidence presented, and more. Listen to our full conversation about Anatomy of a Fall here:

You can also rewatch the original US trailer for Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall right here to view some footage.

For the past year, Sandra (Hüller), a German writer, her French 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 committed suicide or was killed. Samuel’s death is treated as suspicious, presumed murder, and Sandra becomes the main suspect. Little by little the trial becomes not just an investigation of the circumstances of the death, but an unsettling psychological journey into the depths of Sandra and Samuel’s conflicted relationship. Anatomy of a Fall, originally known as Anatomie d’une Chute in French, is directed by French filmmaker Justine Triet, director of the films Age of Panic, Victoria, and Sibyl previously, plus a few other short films. The screenplay is written by Arthur Harari and Justine Triet. Produced by Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion. This initially premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the fest’s Palme d’Or top prize. Madman Films will debut Anatomy of a Fall in cinemas later this year – stay tuned for news. Neon has confirmed they will release the film in select US theaters (in NY & LA) starting October 13th, 2023. What do YOU think?

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