By Emma JonesFeatures Reporter
AlamyGerman actress Sandra Hüller has been nominated for an Oscar for her incredible performance in Anatomy of a Fall. The film's viral moment might make him a contender for the top prize.
In two of the year's most acclaimed and Oscar-nominated films, German actress Sandra Hüller plays two characters who are treated as monsters in different ways. Hedwig, the wife of Auschwitz commander Rudolf Höss, grows a garden and overlooks the death camp at Jonathan Glazer's fence. Zone of interest – This concept is very easily understood. But what if self-confident, openly bisexual author Sandra is given the mantle of terror when she's accused of murdering her husband in French director Justin Triet's Anatomy of a Fall?
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Last month Hüller received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for the role, one of five in total for the film, which also won the Palme d'Or. Cannes Film Festival. Eight years after Maren Adey's father-daughter drama comedy won international acclaim for her role as another woman seemingly oblivious to anyone's opinion, Zone of Interest won five Oscars to bring critical attention to Haller. Toni Erdman.
How does Huller feel about his fictional name Sandra being accused of being a monster? In the film's lengthy courtroom scenes, the prosecutor aggressively cross-examines her, using her own writing and marital infidelities as evidence to support its case. Sandra herself protests during the film, “I'm not a monster!”. It seems like society's judgment that she must be guilty is already there.
“I find it very interesting,” he tells BBC Culture, backstage Rotterdam International Film FestivalThere she gave a career talk.
“Even today, a close friend of mine says to me, 'Yes, Sandra is really acting like a man, so no one would say anything about it.'. But she is a woman and acting like that is scary to some people.
Anatomy of a scene
Sandra of Anatomy of a Fall is blunt, career-oriented, and makes no secret of the fact that she's more successful as a writer than her husband, Samuel (played in the film by Samuel Theis). Their French Salad is home. She's also bisexual, and Huller thinks all of these characteristics add to the debate around her.
“Unfortunately, it's rare to see female characters who have so much to say. Who knows so much about themselves. I think Sandra has really done that, and I really appreciate that.”
AlamyA woman is neither death nor a terrorized victim in this electrifying noir thriller-meets-courtroom drama written by the fictional Sandra Dryt and her partner Arthur Harari. Anatomy is one of the most brilliant and memorable marriage arguments ever seen in cinema. A particular scene went viral earlier this year and has now gone viral Less than 10 million views on TikTok. When the film first premiered at Cannes, Justin Tritt told the BBC he wanted to explore the tensions of a long-term relationship.
“I think living together is very complicated,” he said at the time. “What do we owe to each other, what do we give to each other, what is love, how to live together? It seems so simple, but in fact it is a question.”
Hüller admits the scene is “extraordinary,” but thinks it depends on the strength of Triad and Harari's own relationship.
“It's not because of us, it's because of the writing. It helps the people who wrote it live together, and they wrote their worst nightmare, how it could really go wrong,” he points out.
“They went to a very uncomfortable place, I think. I can thank them for that, because it was brave. I often talk about bravery in filmmaking, but I think it was braver to write this. Couples; I have a lot of respect for that.”
An international success story
Anatomy of a Fall is a study of the breakdown of a relationship through the lens of a courtroom, set against the formality of the French legal system, which was already portrayed in the 2022 film by Alice Diop. Holy Omar Inherent prejudice against women accused of crimes of passion.
In the witness box, Sandra is questioned about her commitment as a wife and mother to the couple's young son Daniel (played by Milo Machado-Greiner), blind and key witness. Her marital infidelities with both men and women are exposed to the court.
As some have argued, does Sandra's bisexuality count against her in court? “It's interesting that some people are afraid of the truth,” Huller replied. “Or even that convinces her, I don't know? I mean, we shouldn't even go there, it's ridiculous.”
AlamyHüller had thus far spent most of his career in the theatre, which was a good response to the long scenes of anatomy spoken in his second and third languages, English and French. The actress says this is what she loves and wants to do more. “I really enjoy the lack of control in other languages, because I can't do it perfectly. There's always pronunciation and little mistakes, and I really like that I can focus more on what I say than what I say. How I say it,” he explains.
Dryt and Huller described themselves in Cannes as “sisters from another mister” as they also worked together on the 2019 comedy-drama Sybil, about a psychotherapist-turned-writer who discovers her latest patient. Although Triad's previous works, such as Sibyl or 2016's In Bed with Victoria, have a comedic tone that Anatomy lacks, these heroines all share a strong ownership of their sexuality.
Film success – It has grossed over $28m internationally – relegated Triad to a different league: he's now a Palme d'Or winner and She is one of eight female filmmakers nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.
“I don't understand why it took so long,” Huller says of Triad's recognition. “I don't really understand because even when I saw her first short film, I thought, 'This is really something.'
The big unanswered question of the film
The director also took serious risks Criticized the policy of the French film industry (about suppressing pension protests) During his Palme d'Or acceptance speech, he was called “ungrateful” by the French culture minister. It might as well have been One of the reasons Dispatched as Anatomy of a Fall French Oscar for Best International Film – Then the triad may have had the last laugh.
Now the filmmaker finds herself the only woman in a directing category that also includes The Zone of Interest's Jonathan Glazer. Only once before, in 2021, have two women made that shortlist, and Greta Gerwig, creator of the billion-dollar box office saviour, Barbie, was excluded. provoked a well-publicized furorEspecially from Gerwig's leading man, Ryan Gosling.
“I still think it's a strange film to see Justin in the middle of four men. I find it strange. And I'd love to see Greta Gerwig nominated. Of course, I would,” says Huller. “Until we recreate those stories, I think it will stay the way it is, with almost only one woman allowed in there.”
Good picturesThe actress describes her own Oscar nomination, saying, “On one level it's really cool, but at the same time it's really scary. There's a lot going on right now that I need to process a little bit, but I'm really happy.
“I'm lucky to get any honors, but it's out of my control. I can keep working, and that's what I've always done. I try to create something that I agree with and not do anybody any favors. Sometimes it pays off.”
Also, will Sandra Huller go to the Oscars armed with the inside knowledge that most fans of Anatomy of a Fall are dying to know — and did she?
“I won't say because I don't know,” she replied.
“I really don't know! There are so many theories about this film, that's the beautiful thing about this film, everyone makes their own story about it, everyone has their own judgment and then their own imagination. Justin and I have never discussed it. I haven't decided on that either, because balance is so important to this film, the audience continues to Being moved from one side to another. And I think it was easier not to know ourselves.”
Anatomy of a Fall is out now. The 96th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 10 at 7pm ET on ABC.
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