- France
DAS EREIGNIS
Synopsis
France, 1963. Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei) studies literature, the first in her family to attend university, with a path ahead of her that her parents could never take. Then she becomes pregnant, unintentionally. Abortion is illegal; anyone who helps risks prison, and the doctors Anne turns to turn her away. With every week that passes, her body becomes more of a deadline. “Das Ereignis” by Audrey Diwan, France 2021, follows her search for a way out that society does not provide, counting the weeks as it goes.
The source is Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel of the same name, which looks back on her own abortion in the 1960s. Diwan directs close to Anne’s face, without flashbacks and without explanation – the film sticks to what she experiences and does not let the audience look away. In Venice in 2021, “Das Ereignis” won the Golden Lion; Diwan thus became only the fifth woman to win the festival’s top prize since 1949. The film was shown at Around the World in 14 Films in Berlin in 2021.
Festival
Shown at the 2021 edition of Around the World in 14 Films.
