Amour
Short description
Georges and Anne are a cultured couple in their eighties who spent their working lives teaching music and are now retired. They live in Paris, where their settled routine is interrupted when Anne suffers a stroke. One side of her body becomes paralysed, and her condition continues to decline. Georges takes on her care himself, and the devotion that has sustained their long marriage is placed under growing strain. Their daughter Eva, a musician who lives abroad with her family, visits and presses for a different arrangement for her mother.
Michael Haneke directed and wrote the screenplay, working with producers Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Margaret Ménégoz. The film is the thirteenth of the fourteen Haneke has directed, following The White Ribbon and preceding Happy End. Jean-Louis Trintignant plays Georges, Emmanuelle Riva plays Anne and Isabelle Huppert plays Eva, with Alexandre Tharaud, William Shimell and Ramon Agirre in supporting roles.
Made for about nine million dollars, it returned roughly thirty million worldwide, a strong result for a European production of its scale. On IMDb it holds 7.9 out of 10 from over a hundred thousand votes, and on TMDB 7.8 from a much smaller number. A critics' rating of 8.7 from 219 reviews places it noticeably above both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Throughout the entire filming period, Emmanuelle Riva (1927-2017) stayed overnight on the set, as she disliked the thought of having to commute to filming every day through the crowded city and breathe polluted air. A specially hired security guard watched over the actress's peace of mind.
- The plot is based on a free interpretation of events from the life of director Michael Haneke, whose aunt suffered from a degenerative illness. The paintings shown in the film belonged to Haneke's parents.
- The entire film was shot in a studio. The view from the windows was added using computer technology.
- At the director's insistence, the role of the former student Anne was played by a real pianist named Alexander Tarro. This was his first role in a film.
- Jean-Louis Trintignant, who had practically left cinema to focus on stage productions, agreed to play the lead role out of respect for Michael Haneke. The role of Georges was written specifically for him.
- The film's scenes were shot in chronological order, which Haneke believed was more convenient.
- The scene with the dove was filmed 12 times.
- The scene in which Jean-Louis Trintignant strangles Emmanuelle Riva's character was difficult for both actors. The actor had broken his arm shortly before, and the actress was simply afraid. A special mattress was used that allowed the actress to breathe. Michael Haneke himself lay under it to demonstrate to the actress that there was nothing to fear.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
