‘Anatomy of a Fall’ Wins Best Film, Actress, Screenplay at France’s Lumiere Awards
Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winning “Anatomy of a Fall” picked up top accolades at the 29th Lumiere Awards, France’s equivalent to the Golden Globes, at a ceremony held Monday at the Forum des Images in Paris.
While Triet lost the best director nod to Thomas Cailley for his supernatural family drama “The Animal Kingdom,” “Anatomy of a Fall” won best film, actress for Sandra Huller, and screenplay for Triet and Arthur Harari. The movie is nominated for seven BAFTA awards, and won two Golden Globes (for screenplay and foreign-language film) earlier this month. While on stage to receive the best screenplay award, Triet and her partner Harari delivered the ceremony’s highlight, debating whether they’re collaborate again on a project. Triet admitted that the writing process had been complicated and said, “I don’t think he’s accept to work again with me but one time was already great.”
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Harari, an actor (“The Goldman Case”) and director (“Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle”), said he would “think about it,” and joked that he had recently started working on insulating the attic near a window and he wondered if it was a good idea to pursue. “It reminded me how fiction can have a strange effect on reality,” said Harari, referring to the plot of “Anatomy of a Fall” which sees the husband of Sandra Huller’s character dies in an apparent fall from an upper window of their chalet.
Kicking off France’s awards season, the Lumieres are handed out by France-based foreign journalists.
Another critically acclaimed French trial movie, Cédric Kahn’s “The Goldman Case” won one prize for Arieh Worthalter as best actor, while “The Rapture” by Iris Kaltenbäck won best first film. Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar shortlisted “Four Daughters” won best documentary, while Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach’s “Linda Wants Chicken!” nabbed best animated film.
The ceremony took a political turn when Ben Hania tearfully called for a ceasefire in Gaza in her speech. Shortly after, Harari said he was “disgusted by what the Israeli government is doing in Gaza,” prompting applauses from some guests, while others shouted “release the hostages.” Harari then said he was also shocked by the Oct. 7 attacks (perpetrated by Hamas) but argued that the responsibility to end the war in Gaza lies with the Israeli leadership.
The French film industry’s next big show, the Cesar Awards, will unveil nominations on Jan. 24.
The full list of Lumiere prizes:
BEST FILM
“Anatomy of a Fall,” Justine Triet
BEST DIRECTOR
Thomas Cailley, “The Animal Kingdom”
BEST SCREENPLAY
Justine Triet, Arthur Harari, “Anatomy of a Fall”
BEST DOCUMENTARY
“Four Daughters,” Kaouther Ben Hania
BEST ANIMATED FILM
“Chicken for Linda!” Chiara Malta, Sébastien Laudenbach
BEST ACTRESS
Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”
BEST ACTOR
Arieh Worthalter, “The Goldman Case”
MOST PROMISING FEMALE NEWCOMER
Ella Rumpf, “Marguerite’s Theorem”
MOST PROMISING MALE NEWCOMER
Raphaël Quenard, “Junkyard Dog”
BEST FIRST FILM
“The Rapture,” Iris Kaltenbäck
BEST INTERNATIONAL COPRODUCTION
“Dry Grasses,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jonathan Ricquebourg, “The Taste of Things”
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Vitalic, “Disco Boy”
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