
Anatomy of a Fall
The combination of gripping thriller and top-tier legal drama take this film to the peak of cinematic brilliance. Europe continues to craft gems.

Undoubtedly the best European film of the year, it's sweeping awards everywhere it goes—from Cannes to the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, European Film Awards, and Spain's Goyas. Everyone is captivated by the spirit of this French movie, which is on its way to becoming one of the finest works to emerge from France in the 21st century. Clinching the Palme d'Or at Cannes, its Oscar nomination reiterates the French festival's reputation as an excellent launchpad for the Oscars. It follows the path of previous winners like "Parasite," "Amour," "Blue is the Warmest Color," "The Tree of Life," and "The Pianist." Simply stunning.

France made a surprising choice by not selecting it as its contender for the Best Foreign Language Film category, opting instead for "Burning Ghost," featuring Juliette Binoche. This decision marks a missed opportunity, as France has not won in this category since "Indochine" in 1993.

The film is up for five awards, including Best Director for French filmmaker Justine Triet, making her the eighth woman ever nominated for the prize. So far, only Kathryn Bigelow (2010), Chloé Zhao (2021), and Jane Campion (2022) have won.

France has clinched the Best Director award twice, with Roman Polanski and Michel Hazanavicius. Although Triet faces tough competition, she has already made history, standing shoulder to shoulder with legends like Jean Renoir, François Truffaut, and Louis Malle.

Justine Triet, alongside her partner Arthur Harari, is in the running for Best Original Screenplay. They are the front-runners, especially after securing the BAFTA. A win would be the perfect capstone to a year filled with accolades.

Triet is the third woman in history to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes in its 76 editions, following Jane Campion for "The Piano" (1993) and Julia Ducournau for "Titane" (2021).

The talented German actress Sandra Hüller is nominated for the first time, having gained international fame in 2016 for her role in "Toni Erdmann." There was speculation about a dual nomination for her work in "A Zone of Interest."

Triet and Hüller previously collaborated on "Sibyl." The director revealed she wrote the lead female character with Hüller in mind, a partnership that has proven fruitful.

"Anatomy of a Fall" is the first French production to vie for the top prize since "The Artist" in 2012, which went on to win. The last non-U.S. winner was "Parasite" from South Korea.

An intriguing aspect of the film is the appearance of Messi. Not the Argentine football star, but a border collie. Named Messi, the dog has been an integral part of the film from the start, even making an appearance at the nominee luncheon.

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