LOURDES October 8, 2010

2009 Austria/France/Germany.
Screens again Oct. 9 @ 7pm

Directed by Jessica Hausner With Sylvie Testud, Lea Seydoux, Bruno Todeschini

In Jessica Hausner's third feature, a young parapalegic's search for meaning brings her to Lourdes, the French Pyrenees' iconic site of pilgrimage. Hausner's camera coolly observes as an equally young but bloomingly healthy Order of Malta volunteer feeds, dresses and wheels the strikingly frail Christine (Testud) around. Meanwhile Christine’s Greek chorus-like fellow pilgrims speculate on divine intervention and then ponder what will be served for dessert, as around them countless visitors looking for miracles radiate vulnerable hope.
Lourdes’ subtle reflection on faith resonates with the ultimately inexplicable nature of healing.

Indeed, the longing in Testud's remarkably expressive eyes when she looks upon Kuno (Todeschini, playing another member of the Order)—in contrast to any visible feeling of spiritual passion when her hand is lifted to touch a sacred grotto's stone wall—seems perhaps capable of gaining the cure each pilgrim so desperately desires.

Official Website: https://artsemerson.org/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=C8BAEE9B-27E3-4915-A477-C41F5D2A7FCC