It’s no surprise that two of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers of the last few years, Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon) and Jacques Audiard (Un Prophete) were considered the front-runners for this years Palme d’Or; as they have both have taken the Festival de Cannes by storm with their uncompromising films. Rumors have circulated that Audiard lost by only by a handful of votes back in 2009. This year saw them once again facing off with their new films, Haneke’s Amour and Audiard’s Rust and Bone. Both films have received countless amounts of praise, garnering critical and audience acclaim. As the films began their competition run, it seemed from early reviews that the Austrian auteur had the upper hand.
With that being said, Haneke has captured the festival’s highest honor for the second time. With this win, he becomes only the second director to have the honor bestowed upon him twice. Amour follows an elderly couple who retreat to their Paris apartment after a traumatic incident forces them to deal with their own mortality. Many of the reviews that have come out describe Amour as being exquisite, leaving me quite eager to see the film.
Sony Pictures Classics is bringing Amour to limited theaters on December 19th, 2012. We will continue to bring you information on the film as its release date approaches.
