Sandra, Samuel, and their visually impaired son Daniel live a secluded life in a remote town. When Samuel is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Sandra becomes the prime suspect. A film by Justine Triet, starring Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, and Milo Machado Graner.

A courtroom drama thriller film directed by French filmmaker Justine Triet from a screenplay co-written by Triet and Arthur Harari.

Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller), a German writer, lives with her husband Samuel Maleski (Samuel Theis), a former teacher and aspiring writer, and their visually impaired son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), in a secluded chalet in the French Alps where Samuel grew up. Sandra is being interviewed at home by Zoé Solidor (Camille Rutherford), a graduate student, while Samuel renovates the third floor, hoping to convert it into a bed and breakfast. Suddenly, the song PIMP by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band blasts from the third floor at ear-splitting volume, making it impossible to continue the interview. Zoé leaves the chalet, Sandra returns upstairs, and Daniel goes for a walk with his dog, Snoop.

As Daniel returns home, Snoop finds Samuel’s body lying outside the chalet. Daniel recognizes his father and attempts to listen for his heartbeat, but there is none. Daniel yells for help, calling for his mother, who is shocked to see that Samuel is not breathing. Sandra calls the police. The autopsy is inconclusive about Daniel’s head wound, unable to determine whether it was caused by a collision with a blunt object in the environment or a violent blow to the head. One thing they are certain of is it occurred before the body hit the ground.

An investigation into Samuel’s mysterious death is underway. Sandra contacts Vincent Renzi (Swann Arlaud), a lawyer she knows, to handle her case. She will have to go on trial to prove her innocence, with her only witness being her visually impaired son.

ANATOMIE D’UNE CHUTE is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller, with impeccable pacing and mesmerizing performances, particularly from Sandra Hüller and Milo Machado Graner. Through carefully placed circumstantial evidence, the audience is led to question her complex character, unsure of her capacity for crime. However, when a secret recording comes to light, the probability shifts against her, and the film becomes a courtroom battle to convince the jury into believing her innocence.

A profoundly poignant moment in the film occurs when Sandra tells her lawyer that she did not kill her husband, and he simply responds with, “That’s not the point.” It is a chilling reminder that the truth that cannot be proven is not enough. In the courtroom, it is often more about perception than reality.

ANATOMIE D’UNE CHUTE premiered at Festival de Cannes on 1 May 2023, where it won the Palme d’Or and the Palm Dog Award. The film was theatrically released in France on 23 August 2023, by Le Pacte.

The Palm Dog Award is a yearly alternative award presented by the international film critics during the Cannes Film Festival. Begun in 2001 by Toby Rose, it is awarded to the best performance by a canine (live or animated) or group of canines during the festival. The award consists of a leather dog collar with the term “PALM DOG”. The name of the award is a play on words of the Palme d’Or, the festival’s highest honor.