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Happening

Original title: L'événement
  • 2021
  • R
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
13K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,595
1,819
Anamaria Vartolomei in Happening (2021)
Follows Annie, a bright young student who faces an unwanted pregnancy while abortion was still illegal in 1960s France.
Play trailer2:02
2 Videos
56 Photos
Coming-of-AgePeriod DramaDrama

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.

  • Director
    • Audrey Diwan
  • Writers
    • Marcia Romano
    • Audrey Diwan
    • Annie Ernaux
  • Stars
    • Anamaria Vartolomei
    • Kacey Mottet Klein
    • Luàna Bajrami
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    13K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,595
    1,819
    • Director
      • Audrey Diwan
    • Writers
      • Marcia Romano
      • Audrey Diwan
      • Annie Ernaux
    • Stars
      • Anamaria Vartolomei
      • Kacey Mottet Klein
      • Luàna Bajrami
    • 43User reviews
    • 170Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 27 wins & 49 nominations total

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:02
    Official Trailer
    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:53
    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:53
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos56

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    Top cast39

    Edit
    Anamaria Vartolomei
    Anamaria Vartolomei
    • Anne Duchesne
    Kacey Mottet Klein
    Kacey Mottet Klein
    • Jean
    Luàna Bajrami
    Luàna Bajrami
    • Hélène
    Louise Orry-Diquéro
    Louise Orry-Diquéro
    • Brigitte
    Louise Chevillotte
    Louise Chevillotte
    • Olivia
    Pio Marmaï
    Pio Marmaï
    • Professeur Bornec
    Sandrine Bonnaire
    Sandrine Bonnaire
    • Gabrielle Duchesne
    Leonor Oberson
    • Claire
    Anna Mouglalis
    Anna Mouglalis
    • Mme Rivière
    Cyril Metzger
    • Gaspard
    Eric Verdin
    • Jacques Duchesne
    Madeleine Baudot
    Madeleine Baudot
    • Lise
    Alice de Lencquesaing
    Alice de Lencquesaing
    • Laëtitia
    Fabrizio Rongione
    Fabrizio Rongione
    • Dr. Ravinsky
    Isabelle Mazin
    • Magda
    Julien Frison
    • Maxime
    • (as Julien Frison de la Comédie Française)
    Édouard Sulpice
    • Patrick
    Leïla Muse
    • Céline
    • Director
      • Audrey Diwan
    • Writers
      • Marcia Romano
      • Audrey Diwan
      • Annie Ernaux
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews43

    7.413K
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    Featured reviews

    8sps-70659

    Audrey Diwan arrives, and how

    Tight 100m adaptation of the Annie Ernaux novel, with a terrific performance by the lead actress. Will watch future Diwan movies.

    Sure, with US heading back to medieval times on abortion, there is every bit of contemporary relevance. But that is not at all the point here. Diwan wants to make the pride and anguish of the young woman real to you, no preaching attempted or necessary. Cinematically, she succeeds.

    The genre of great abortion movies is pretty small, one thinks of the Romanian 4 months 3 weeks and 2 days, but this one is near the top. Good news is, real Ernaux overcame her brutal ordeal and became a decorated French writer. Read her if you can, in the original French if you can.
    8paul-allaer

    Gut-wrenching abortion drama, now more relevant than ever

    As "Happening" (2021 release from France; 100 min.) opens, it's some time in the early 1960s in France, and we are introduced to several young women, students at the local university, who are getting ready to go out on the town. One of them is Annie (or Anne). Then later, Annie goes to see a doctor as her period is late. The doctor informs her that she is pregnant, to Annie's shock. She asks the doctor "to do something" but he flat-out refuses, as abortion is illegal and carries a penalty in jail... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

    Couple of comments: this is the latest from French-Lebanese writer-director Audrey Diwan ("Losing It"). Here she brings the real life tale of what happens to a young woman in her early 20s who gets pregnant in a time and space where abortion is entirely illegal without any exceptions (France in the early 60s). Watch how Annie gets no support, zero, from anyone around her including doctors, family and friends, and even her lover. Watch how increasingly desperate Annie becomes as the weeks pass. Please note that some scenes are very difficult to watch. The US premiere of this film came at the 2022 Sundance film festival, just over a year ago, and mere months before the US Supreme Court overruled Re v. Wade, with the GOP subsequently enacting strict anti-abortion laws in multiple states. For shame. Do you want to go back more than half a century to the times when men in power decided that "this isn't a woman's issue"? Welcome to the GOP of 2022! As a complete aside, this film is based on the book of the same name by acclaimed French author Annie Ernaux (born Duchesne), who just last year won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

    "Happening" is currently rated 99% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. It is a gut-wrenching abortion drama, now more relevant issue than ever. I had been clamoring to see this film, and finally it started streaming on Hulu just yesterday. I watched it right away. If you are in the mood for a top-notch if devastating abortion drama, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
    8subxerogravity

    A very direct title for a movie that pulls no punches.

    It's a movie that came out at the right place in the right time, it's about a girl in France during the 60s who needs an abortion but is engulf in a culture that made this action illegal. Oh wow! Where have I heard that story before?

    From a man's point a view this might sound insensitive, but this flick was horrifying. The horrible steps this woman had to take because she lived in a world that would not give her the proper medical procedure to have it done in a healthier environment, just made the whole thing feel like a horror movie. They held nothing back when it came to DIY method of how it's all done.

    I don't want to get too political, then again, it's not a coincidence this movie is in American theatres now. All I'm saying is that the movie laid out a great argument for why the woman in the movie made the choice she made.

    For that it's a great film because I felt spoken to instead of preached to.
    7Bleu-Le-Fluff-0969

    Audrey Diwan delivers an uneasy but realistic approach on a very controversial topic

    Saw this back at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival

    Based on a novel by Annie Ernaux,, the topic of abortion is already becoming a very controversial subject in the past many years. There are many debates about whether abortion is right or wrong. Audrey Diwan takes this serious subject matter and creates a uneasy, intense, but realistic approach about this topic through the lens of an interesting character portrayed by Anamaria Vartolomei who gives an amazing stellar performance throughout this movie. This movie isn't an easy watch because of the brutal nature of what the character is going through and especially a really disturbing third act that made me feel uneasy and quite uncomfortable while watching it. Throughout there are some beautiful camerawork with the 1:33:1 aspect ratio perfectly capturing the 1970s in France, some beautiful production and costume designs, and really good soundtrack. Although, the setting at times didn't feel like the 70s because the movie didn't explore it's time period well enough as it should have which was one of the flaws I had with this movie.

    As I have to say it again, Anamaria Vartolomei sells throughout this movie with her realistic performance on portraying a character who is lost, somewhat arrogant but also finding a way to solve her issue. Even if it risks her own sanity. Character study films are really interesting as it provides an guide to understand how the human life works throughout many lens. It's often not easy to be really engage with a character but if the writing is great, the character is great. Some problems I have with the movie are that some of the dialogue felt a little clunky as it didn't feel like it fits in the 1970s time period and some of the supporting characters felt like they had nothing to do with the movie. Almost as if they could have just been removed from the final cut honestly.

    Overall, this was a really good adaptation from director Audrey Diwan and I really look forward to seeing more films from here. I believe there's a great potential of French female filmmakers coming soon in the near decade.

    Rating: B+
    7billcr12

    A Tough Watch

    With over one thousand reviews on IMDB, this may be the most difficult one I will ever write. The timing is impeccable, as here in America, the landmark Roe vs Wade decision has turned the nation into a state by state battleground regarding the freedom to choose whether or not to have an abortion. As a pro choice Catholic, I am in disagreement with the views of my church. The film portrays a young woman in a France of the 1960s, when abortion was illegal. Some of the scenes are quite graphic and disturbing. The lead actress is outstanding and the story compelling. I am sure that Happening will receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign movie.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Winner of the Golden Lion 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, who would later cast lead actress Anamaria Vartolomei in Mickey 17 (2025).
    • 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.

    • Connections
      Featured in Javo & Temoc: Top 10 Películas: Lo "mejor" del año (2022)

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Happening?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 24, 2021 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Official sites
      • France 3 Cinéma (France)
      • Gaga (Japan)
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • El acontecimiento
    • Filming locations
      • Université Paris-Saclay, campus d'Orsay - Orsay, Essonne, France(many campus and dorms scenes)
    • Production companies
      • Rectangle Productions
      • France 3 Cinéma
      • Wild Bunch
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €5,200,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $181,023
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $33,312
      • May 8, 2022
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,577,367
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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