DRAMA / FRANCE / 2021 / 100 MIN / R18+
Winner of this year’s Golden Lion Award at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, Happening is an adaptation of Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel. The movie is a powerful female story set in France, 1963 - a society that censures women’s desires.
Audrey Diwan’s second movie is a raw tale of smashed innocence set at a time when a woman’s right to have an abortion was classified as murder. The film follows the story of a young girl, studying in Paris, who dreams of becoming a writer and the challenges she faces.
Strong, raw, intense, heartbreaking, this is a must-see film with a great cast, featuring the young lead actress Anamaria Vartolomei supported by the iconic Sandrine Bonnaire.
Happening is French social realism at its finest, the film does not shy away from this increasingly relevant topic as women’s rights are challenged across the globe. It’s this atmosphere of judgement and isolation that is palpable, as the line between drama and thriller are blurred in what seems like the protagonist’s fight for life.
DIRECTED BY:
AUDREY DIWAN
STARRING:
ANAMARIA VARTOLOMEI
KACEY MOTTET KLEIN
LUÀNA BAJRAMI
LOUISE ORRY-DIQUÉRO
PIO MARMAÏ
SANDRINE BONNAIRE
LANGUAGE:
FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
CONTENT WARNING:
CONTAINS SEQUENCES WITH HIGH INTENSITY MEDICAL PROCEDURES
Venice, Golden Lion Award for Best Movie
International Film Festival Rotterdam,
European Film Awards,
AFI Fest