Far From Heaven(Filmmaker in Focus Series All Those Magnificent Obsessions Allow: The Cinema of Todd Haynes)

Todd Haynes assumes the triple role of film director, film historian, and cinephile in Far From Heaven. The year is 1957. Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) leads an affluent life with her family in the suburbs of Connecticut. She is first shocked to find her husband kissing a strange man, then develops an amorous relationship with Raymond, the young son of her black gardener. Taking his cue from Melodrama master Douglas Sirk’s All That Heaven Allows (1955), Haynes uses saturated color and intricate compositions to tell a story about women struggling between personal desire and societal pressure, drawing parallels between women, homosexuals, and black people. Best Feature, Best Director, Best Female Lead and Best Cinematography Awards at 2003 Film Independent Spirit Awards.