Arthur Harari on “Anatomy of a Fall” and Film Power Couple Status with Justine Triet

Arthur Harari, a rising notable in French cinema, is not only a film-maker but also a screenwriter and an occasional actor, albeit with some reservations. Little did he know that his relationship with director Justine Triet, who helmed the Palme d’Or and Oscar-winning courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Fall,” would place them in the spotlight as French film’s new “véritable power couple,” according to Vanity Fair.

When we met Harari in a Paris photo studio in June, he was gearing up for his third directorial feature. However, he took time out to promote a film in which he acts, another courtroom drama based on real life. Directed by Cédric Kahn, “The Goldman Case” revisits the 1975 trial of Pierre Goldman, a French left-wing militant involved in several robberies but who denied the murders he was charged with. By the time of his trial, Goldman had become a national figure thanks to his memoir written during an earlier prison stint.

While the Goldman case had somewhat faded from public memory, Harari was familiar with it. Both his parents, architects and former Trotskyist militants, had been in the same revolutionary organization as Goldman. The figure of a revolutionary criminal who is also a public intellectual is uniquely French. “Goldman’s personality, his life story, his thought—because he was a thinker—made him a different kind of criminal. His voice, his entire personality, is in his book,” Harari remarked.

Harari’s character in “The Goldman Case,” the lawyer Georges Kiejman, is not as flamboyant as Goldman but was a significant figure too. Kiejman later became a minister under François Mitterrand and represented notable cinema figures and the ill-fated Charlie Hebdo magazine. Harari met Kiejman before the latter passed away in 2023, gaining insight from old TV footage. Kiejman, Harari noted, was relaxed, calm, and ironic—a touch of performance but not quite an actor.

The atmosphere in “The Goldman Case” is theatrical, with a chorus of courtroom protesters adding to the chaos. Harari, despite co-writing “Anatomy of a Fall,” has spent little time in real courtrooms. However, he asserts that both films portray French legal etiquette accurately. “The presiding judge lets things get rowdy, but apparently that’s how it was,” he said of “The Goldman Case.”

These films are part of a resurgence of courtroom dramas in French cinema, along with Alice Diop’s “Saint Omer” and Laetitia Dosch’s comedic “Dog on Trial.” Harari believes courtroom dramas are ideal for exploring themes of language, justice, and identity.

Despite his serious demeanor, Harari proved more relaxed in conversation than his tense portrayal of Kiejman might suggest. His acting career has been secondary, mostly involving bit parts in Triet’s films. He’s still adjusting to their newfound fame post-“Anatomy of a Fall.” His partner Justine is frequently recognized in public, a slight taste of which he shares.

Arthur Harari, a film studies graduate, debuted with a 2016 crime drama set in the Antwerp diamond world. He followed this with “Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle,” a film about a Japanese soldier who didn’t acknowledge the end of World War II until 1974. Shot in Cambodia and entirely in Japanese, the film drew comparisons to Werner Herzog’s work, although Harari got Herzog’s blessing to tell the story his way.

I like acting but I don’t want it to be a major part of my life

Both Harari and Triet are politically outspoken. Harari, Jewish but non-practicing, felt the need to oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza vocally. Triet’s critique of Emmanuel Macron’s government, especially during her Palme d’Or acceptance speech, did not go down well with authorities. Harari feels this forthrightness led to “Anatomy of a Fall” being controversially snubbed as France’s official Oscars entry in the foreign film category, although it won the Oscar for best original screenplay.

Our interview occurred ahead of France’s July elections, where the far-right posed a threat. Harari expressed concerns about the impact on French cinema. Later, after the election results, Harari expressed “incredulous relief” that the left-wing alliance held off the right but maintained his criticism of Macron.

Later this year, Harari will start shooting his third feature, co-written with his brother Lucas, a graphic novel creator. Starring Léa Seydoux, the film, titled “The Unknown,” stays shrouded in mystery. Harari tactfully avoids giving details, joking, “Anything I say could spoil it.”

When it comes to acting, Harari remains ambivalent. Despite his success with “The Goldman Case,” he hasn’t received further acting offers, and that’s fine with him. “There’s a bit of a culture of self-satisfaction among French actors – la cour du Roi,” he says. Reflecting on his experience, he adds, “You have to watch your ego. With my personality, I could easily become very pleased with myself.”