The Innocents (2016)

1945 Mathilde is a French Red Cross doctor working on a mission to help the French survivors of the German camps. While she works in Poland, she is asked for help by a nun.: in her convent, several nuns got pregnant...

Director:

Anne Fontaine

Writers:

Sabrina B. Karine (scenario), Alice Vial (scenario)

Stars:

Lou de Laâge, Agata Buzek, Agata Kulesza

3 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lou de Laâge	...	Mathilde Beaulieu
Agata Buzek	...	Maria
Agata Kulesza	...	Mère Abesse
Vincent Macaigne	...	Samuel
Joanna Kulig	...	Irena
Eliza Rycembel	...	Teresa
Katarzyna Dabrowska	...	Anna
Anna Próchniak	...	Zofia
Helena Sujecka	...	Ludwika
Mira Maluszinska	...	Bibiana
Dorota Kuduk	...	Wanda
Klara Bielawka	...	Joanna
Pascal Elso	...	Le colonel
Thomas Coumans	...	Gaspard
Leon Latan-Paszek	...	Wladek

Storyline

Poland, winter of 1945. Mathilde Beaulieu (Lou de Lâage) is a young intern working with a branch of the French Red Cross. They are on a mission to find, treat and repatriate French survivors of the German camps. One day, a Polish nun arrives in the hospital. In very poor French, she begs Mathilde to come to her convent. Mathilde life and beliefs change when she discovers the advanced state of pregnancy that affect several of the Sisters of the convent just outside the hospital where she performs.

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Plot Keywords:

soviet soldier | poland | soviet occupation of poland | rape of a nun | soviet army | 

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Taglines:

Powerful and moving. Examines every moral crevice of an unthinkable scenario.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including sexual assault, and for some bloody images and brief suggestive content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Page Official site [Japan]

Country:

France Poland

Language:

French Polish Russian

Release Date:

10 February 2016 (France)

Also Known As:

The Innocents

Filming Locations:

Orneta, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Poland

Box Office

Budget:

€6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$127,112, 8 July 2016, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,063,893, 2 October 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandarin Films,Aeroplan Film,Mars Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adèle Haenel was originally attached to play Mathilde.

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Quotes

Mathilde Beaulieu: Good night
Mathilde Beaulieu: I don't want to
[avoiding the kiss from Samuel]
Samuel: Me neither
Mathilde Beaulieu: I mean it
Samuel: So do I
Samuel: What?
[as she tries to stop him from ascending the stairs]
Mathilde Beaulieu: You're too old
Samuel: Charming...
[...]

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Soundtracks

Petite messe solennelle, preludio religioso
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
With the direction & conducted by Michel Piquemal
Performed by Raymond Alessandrini (piano)
(p) Musidisc
Avec l'aimable autorisation de Universal Music Vision

User Reviews

A Riveting Experience

So gripping is this film that I didn't hear a sound from the audience--no talking, none of the usual rattle of bags of popcorn! While I would like to know now, now that I've seen the film, what parts of it are based on actual events, almost everything in the film seemed utterly true. This is not for film-goers who seek amusement, light entertainment, confirmation that the world is a just place. This could have been an unrelentingly grim film, because we see a great deal of the dark side of human nature. Instead, the characters have a wonderful complexity that allows us to empathize and hope. The themes are also rendered with complexity—we get to understand what initially seems incomprehensible. The acting is very fine, indeed. The landscapes are haunting. There is a lot of tension in the movie that provides forward momentum. We've seen many, many films set during World War II but rarely a film that deals with some of its consequences. This is one very worth seeing!