Lourdes (2009)

In order to escape her isolation, wheelchair-bound Christine makes a life changing journey to Lourdes, the iconic site of pilgrimage in the Pyrenees Mountains.

Director:

Jessica Hausner

Writer:

Jessica Hausner

Stars:

Sylvie Testud, Léa Seydoux, Bruno Todeschini

10 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sylvie Testud	...	Christine
Léa Seydoux	...	Maria
Bruno Todeschini	...	Kuno
Elina Löwensohn	...	Cécile
Gilette Barbier	...	Fr. Hartl
Gerhard Liebmann	...	Pater Nigl
Linde Prelog	...	Frau Huber
Heidi Baratta	...	Frau Spor
Hubert Kramar	...	Herr Oliveti
Helga Illich	...	Frau Oliveti
Walter Benn	...	Herr Hruby
Petra Morzé	...	Mother
Orsolya Tóth	...	Child in Wheelchair (as Orsi Tóth)
Katharina Flicker	...	Sonja
Thomas Uhlir	...	Max

Storyline

In order to escape her isolation, wheelchair-bound Christine makes a life changing journey to Lourdes, the iconic site of pilgrimage in the Pyrenees Mountains.

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Plot Keywords:

pyrenees | title directed by female | silence | female protagonist | lourdes france | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [de] Official site [hu]

Country:

Austria France Germany

Language:

French

Release Date:

17 February 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Miraklet i Lourdes

Filming Locations:

Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrénées, France

Box Office

Budget:

€2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£39,511 (UK) (26 March 2010)

Gross:

£39,511 (UK) (26 March 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ARTE, Canal+, Coop 99

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the script for Lourdes first landed on Sylvie Testud's desk, her initial reaction was that she didn't want to do anything that might involve her playing a nun or taking easy potshots at religion. She instantly changed her mind after reading the script.

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Soundtracks

"Buon giorno angelo mio"
Written by Thomas Kathriner and Martin Kromar
Performed by Laislavo 'Lado' Kravanja (as Lado)

User Reviews

Lourdes

Forgive my ignorance of neither Lourdes or theology, without a Catholic background, to me the miracles sound hyperbolic and outlandish at first, but after watching the film, even though being an agnostic, some kind of insight surfaced upon my mind's eye that the miracle itself could be a fatal burden to whom it is granted, which is my very direct response, which I am not sure would be the prime aim of the director, for me, it does pique my curiosity definitely.

Due to the fact that the mystery has still been in a moot beyond any explanation by now, the third feature from Austrian director Jessica Hausner (whose previous film is a haunting ghost story - HOTEL 2004) cannily digresses the mythological topic of the epiphanic moment, instead, the film focuses directly on the individuals of the pilgrim group (thought from a restrained distance), the most noteworthy comes from their blunt reactions before/after the miraculous event, which unavoidably compass piety, expectation, sympathy versus selfishness, jealousy, gloating, envy and bitterness. As a matter of fact it is more like a discreet dissertation on a test of humanity, which literally and cruelly reveals the inconvenient truth that it is our soul needs to be cured.

What I truly commend here is the laconic shots, the full-blown palette and a calm stance which is pervasive throughout the entire movie,

all of which establish a sincere austerity and mercy to its views, plus the non-intrusion composition drastically enhances the solemnity and sacrality of its proposition

The female protagonist Sylvie Testud's performance is extraordinarily astute, despite of her word-deficient and gesture-limited role while the supporting group is also tellingly awesome, terse but impressive!