An adaptation of Annie Ernaux's novel of the same name, looking back on her experience with abortion when it was still illegal in France in the 1960s.An adaptation of Annie Ernaux's novel of the same name, looking back on her experience with abortion when it was still illegal in France in the 1960s.An adaptation of Annie Ernaux's novel of the same name, looking back on her experience with abortion when it was still illegal in France in the 1960s.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 27 wins & 49 nominations total
Julien Frison
- Maxime
- (as Julien Frison de la Comédie Française)
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia"Happening" won the top prize at the 78th edition of the world's oldest film festival, the Venice Film Festival. The award was selected by a jury led by Parasite director Bong Joon-Ho.
- Quotes
Anne Duchesne: I wasn't able to study, now I am.
Professeur Bornec: Were you ill?
Anne Duchesne: The kind of illness that strikes only women and turns them into housewives.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Javo & Temoc: Top 10 Películas: Lo "mejor" del año (2022)
Featured review
Like it's lead character, Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei), Director Audrey Diwan's HAPPENING is direct, strong and decisive. Anne is a very promising literature student who finds herself pregnant after a fling with a visiting student. The place is France in the early 60s when having a procedure to abort a baby is strictly illegal. Her closest friends and doctor want nothing to do with her plans - especially, her doctor, who's very counsel could land him in jail.
Diwan's adaptation of Annie Ernaux's novel feels immediate, adopting an almost you are there approach (the script was co-written by Diwan and a trio of other writers). While it's certainly not a documentary construct, it's very much a drama, but it feels real. Laurent Tangy's hand-held camera is like an intimate partner to Diwan's vision. The active tense title is very much on point here (the French title also translates into "The Event").
Vartolomei is quite excellent. She is often the only character on screen and her performance never seems studied, simply inhabited. The others in the cast are always believable even if they don't have time to really develop. Anna Mouglalis is particularly memorable as the blunt Mme. Riviere, and legendary European actress Sandrinne Bonnaire is on hand as Anne's mother.
HAPPENING gets quite explicit at times, but never feels in the least exploitative. The screenplay is also admirable in that it never preaches. Diwan follows her character on her own terms all the way through. It's a difficult movie, but a very worthy one.
Diwan's adaptation of Annie Ernaux's novel feels immediate, adopting an almost you are there approach (the script was co-written by Diwan and a trio of other writers). While it's certainly not a documentary construct, it's very much a drama, but it feels real. Laurent Tangy's hand-held camera is like an intimate partner to Diwan's vision. The active tense title is very much on point here (the French title also translates into "The Event").
Vartolomei is quite excellent. She is often the only character on screen and her performance never seems studied, simply inhabited. The others in the cast are always believable even if they don't have time to really develop. Anna Mouglalis is particularly memorable as the blunt Mme. Riviere, and legendary European actress Sandrinne Bonnaire is on hand as Anne's mother.
HAPPENING gets quite explicit at times, but never feels in the least exploitative. The screenplay is also admirable in that it never preaches. Diwan follows her character on her own terms all the way through. It's a difficult movie, but a very worthy one.
- How long is Happening?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Подія
- Filming locations
- Université Paris-Saclay, campus d'Orsay - Orsay, Essonne, France(many campus and dorms scenes)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- €5,200,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $181,023
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $33,312
- May 8, 2022
- Gross worldwide
- $1,577,367
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content