Anatomy of a Fall
![Anatomy of a Fall film poster](./assets/Anatomy_of_a_Fall_$2023 Anatomy of a Fall is a 2023 French-language legal drama film written and directed by Justine Triet, who co-wrote the screenplay with Arthur Harari.[1] The story centers on Sandra Voyter, a German author portrayed by Sandra Hüller, who faces trial for the murder of her French husband Samuel Maleski after he plummets from the balcony of their remote chalet in the French Alps; their 11-year-old blind son Daniel serves as a pivotal witness amid ambiguities surrounding the incident's circumstances.[2][3] The film premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it secured the Palme d'Or, marking Triet as only the third woman to receive the festival's highest honor.[4] It later garnered five nominations at the 96th Academy Awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Hüller, ultimately winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.[5][6] Praised for its taut exploration of truth, marital discord, and judicial scrutiny, the film features standout supporting performances from Swann Arlaud as the investigating judge and Milo Machado-Graner as Daniel, alongside the notable role of a seeing-eye dog named Messi.[1][7]Synopsis
Plot Summary
Sandra Voyter, a successful German novelist, resides with her French husband Samuel Maleski, a struggling writer and music teacher, and their eleven-year-old visually impaired son Daniel in a remote chalet in the French Alps near Grenoble.[8] One afternoon, while Daniel is out walking their dog Snoop, Samuel plummets from the attic window to the snowy ground below, dying from severe head trauma.[8] [9] Daniel discovers the body upon returning home, with loud music still playing from the attic; Sandra, who had been away for a walk, rushes back and summons emergency services.[8] The autopsy reveals injuries consistent with a three-story fall but notes discrepancies, including minimal blood at the scene and a laceration on Samuel's head suggesting possible impact from an object before the fall, prompting investigators to consider homicide over suicide or accident.[8] Police uncover a digital recording of a violent argument between Sandra and Samuel earlier that day, capturing shouts and physical struggle, which becomes central evidence; a bruise on Sandra's arm is also documented.[8] [9] Sandra is detained and indicted for murder, as she was the only adult present in the house.[8] The trial, held a year later, scrutinizes the couple's strained marriage, including Samuel's resentment toward Sandra's literary success, accusations of her infidelity, and his prior suicide attempt revealed through witness testimonies from a neighbor and a psychiatrist.[8] Forensic experts debate blood spatter patterns, the trajectory of the fall, and audio analysis of the argument recording, while a courtroom reconstruction on the chalet roof simulates possible scenarios—jump, slip, or push—highlighting inconsistencies in each.[8] Flashbacks depict family tensions, including the origins of Daniel's vision loss from a playground accident amid parental discord.[8] Daniel, evaluated for reliability due to his impairment and youth, becomes the pivotal witness after conducting an informal experiment with Snoop, feeding the dog meat tainted with Samuel's sedatives to test behavioral reactions linking to the overdose in Samuel's system.[8] [9] He testifies to a car ride conversation where Samuel expressed suicidal ideation and blamed himself for Daniel's condition, arguing against murder and toward intentional self-harm; this shifts the narrative toward suicide despite evidentiary gaps.[9] The court acquits Sandra, citing reasonable doubt, though questions linger over the precise cause—whether suicide, accident, or homicide—and the veracity of Daniel's recalled memory.[9]Cast and Characters
Principal Performers
Sandra Hüller stars as Sandra Voyter, a German novelist on trial for allegedly pushing her husband from the balcony of their remote chalet in the French Alps.[10][11]
Swann Arlaud portrays Maître Vincent Renzi, the court-appointed defense attorney assigned to Sandra's case, who must contend with potential conflicts arising from his personal connections to the family.[10][11]
Milo Machado-Graner plays Daniel Maleski, the couple's 13-year-old son who is visually impaired and becomes a pivotal witness whose account influences the trial's direction.[10][11]
Samuel Theis appears as Samuel Maleski, the deceased music teacher husband, whose character is revealed primarily through flashbacks, audio recordings, and witness testimonies.[10][11]
Antoine Reinartz depicts the Advocate General, the prosecuting attorney who aggressively pursues a murder conviction against Sandra, highlighting the courtroom's confrontational elements.[11][12]