THE May screenings by Moviola around our region include Oscar-nominee The Holdovers and the period English comedy Wicked Little Letters, but two other films this month deserve a special mention – the acclaimed French drama Anatomy of a Fall, and the 2023 musical version of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, The Colour Purple.
Anatomy of a Fall (Anatomie d’une chute), directed by Justine Triet from a screenplay she co-wrote with Arthur Harari, stars Sandra Hüller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband’s death. It is being shown at Kingsbury Episcopi, Wookey Hole and Halstock.
In an isolated mountain chalet near Grenoble, novelist Sandra Voyter (Huller) decides to reschedule her interview with a female student because her husband, university lecturer Samuel Maleski (Samuel Theis), plays music loudly in their attic, disrupting the interview. After the student drives away from the chalet, Samuel and Sandra’s visually impaired son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner), takes a walk outside with his guide dog Snoop. When they return home, Daniel finds Samuel dead from an apparent fall.
The Color Purple, directed by Blitz Bazawule. With a screenplay by Marcus Gardley, is based on the stage musical. The film stars Fantasia Barrino as Celle, Taraji P Henson as Shug Avery and Colman Domingo as Mister. Based on one of Alice Walker’s finest and most famous novels, it is a story of resilience, suffering, love and survival among black women in the Deep South in the early 20th century.
It is being shown at Watchet (Cinema), Edington (Somerset) and Hardington Mandeville. For dates and venues of all films, see the Arts Diary; for full details including times visit www.moviola.org
The other May films are:
Wicked Little Letters on screen at Calne town hall and the David Hall, South Petherton;
The Holdovers at Fawley (Jubilee Hall), Hawchurch, Yetminster, Wilmington (Devon), Shepton Montague, Shrewton, Chilthorne Domer and Hanging Langford;
The Lesson at Codford (Woolstore Theatre);
and Next Goal Wins at Charlton Marshall, South Petherton (David Hall) and Watchet (cinema).