Which 2019 independent film about a divorce was written and directed by Noah Baumbach?

Which 2019 independent film about a divorce was written and directed by Noah Baumbach? The answer is Marriage Story.

Marriage Story follows Charlie and Nicole Barber, played by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, as their marriage breaks down and a coast-to-coast divorce becomes increasingly complicated by custody negotiations over their son. The film balances painful arguments with moments of humor and affection, emphasizing that divorce can end a marriage without erasing a family’s history.

Noah Baumbach wrote and directed the film and co-produced it with David Heyman. The story drew partly on Baumbach’s own divorce from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, while his parents’ divorce had influenced his earlier film The Squid and the Whale. That autobiographical background does not make Marriage Story a literal retelling of his life; its characters and circumstances are fictionalized.

Netflix released the film after its Venice premiere on August 29, 2019. It received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay. Laura Dern won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as divorce attorney Nora Fanshaw.