SPOTLIGHT FILMS: Amour
By Contributor
The multiple award nominated/winning film, Amour, will be presented on Tuesday, Feb. 26 by Spotlight Films. This not so subtle creation of writer/director Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon, Cache) wraps our emotions around, generally, the aging process accompanied by the various debilitating challenges and, specifically, the loving relationship between Octogenarian spouses Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant, a healthy list of acting achievement, including Three Colors: Red; The Conformist; and Z) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva, another significant list of acting credentials including, Three Colors: Blue; Hiroshima, mon amour and Leon Morin, Priest), cultivated, retired school music teachers.
When Anne has a stroke and is left paralyzed on one side she relies more and more on the primary care of Georges who had vowed that she would not have to endure further hospital visits or be put in a home. The ordeal is mentally, emotionally and physically draining for both Georges and Anne as every grain of dignity takes on significant value. Nothing is glossed over.
During infrequent visits from their daughter Eva (Isabelle Huppert, The Piano Teacher) who lives abroad with her family, Haneke craftily, with minimal dialogue, creates the sense of a rift between her and Georges.
Aside from winning the Palme D’or for Haneke at the Cannes Film Festival, Amour was also nominated for five Oscars, including Best Film, Best Foreign Film (Austria), and Best Performance by an actress in a leading role, Riva. It also won Best Direction at the Bavarian Film Awards; Best International Independent Film, the British Independent Film Awards; Best Foreign Language Film at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards and Best Actor, Actress, Director, and Film Awards at the European Film Awards. The list continues.
With the announcements of the Oscars, Riva became the oldest (84) to be nominated for best actress, the same day, Quevenzhane Wallis (9) (Beasts Of The Southern Wild) became the youngest ever. Since you’re in the mood for trivia, the pigeon scene was shot 12 times.
Amour will be shown Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gem Theatre in Grand Forks. Spotlight Films would like to thank Marius and Maureen Paquet of the Gem Theatre and our sponsors for continued support of Spotlight Films.
