Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hauser's third feature, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2009, is one of the most intriguing--and enjoyable--films ever made about faith.
Many Catholics the world over consider Lourdes, a bucolic town in southwestern France, a sacred place. A pilgrimage to soak in the holy water offers the possibility of a cure for an incurable disorder, like multiple sclerosis. It's what Christine (Fear and Trembling's Sylvie Testud in a performance of great and touching subtlety) hopes to experience, though it isn't her first pilgrimage, and she hasn't yet found relief from a progressive condition that has rendered her largely immobile.
At the hotel, Maria (Léa Seydoux, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds the same year), a volunteer, attends to her needs and wheels her to the baths each day. After years of idle summers, she believes the work gives her life meaning, but it doesn't stop her from flirting with the male volunteers, especially the tall, dark, and handsome Kuno (Bruno Todeschini), who is rumored to be married. It bothers and confuses her that he seems more interested in Christine.
Maria volunteers alongside the more experienced and enigmatic Cécile (Elina Löwensohn, a favorite of Hal Hartley), who claims that spiritual strength is more important than physical strength, a belief that may have something to do with her own well-concealed health situation, which will become apparent in time. As for Christine, she just wants to walk again.
She shares her hotel room with Mrs. Hartl (Gilette Barbier), a devout older woman who seems more concerned about Christine's welfare than her own, and when the jealous Maria flakes out on her, she assists with her transportation and other needs.
Against all odds, Christine recovers. Is it a miracle, and if so, will it last? Some pilgrims only experience temporary relief. Though unsteady on her feet, she regains her mobility, but a doctor and a medical committee will need to sign off on her recovery. Otherwise, it won't qualify as a miracle. Other pilgrims complain amongst themselves: Why her? And why not them?
Hausner doesn't answer any of these questions, like the reason for Mrs. Hartl's pilgrimage or Kuno's marital status, and nor does she attempt to explain faith in any way. Local merchants may hawk Lourdes tchotchkes, but she otherwise avoids judgment or chicanery, like the hypocrisies of Burt Lancaster's evangelist in Elmer Gantry. Every character is sincere in their beliefs.
Though more stylized and understated, Lourdes also bears comparison with American melodramas, like Ralph Nelson's Charly, from Daniel Keyes's science fiction novel A Flower for Algernon, and Penny Marshall's Awakenings, from neurologist Oliver Sacks' non-fiction book of the same name, in which the afflicted recover from unrecoverable maladies--at least for a time.
Though never an outright comedy, Jessica Hausner draws a gently humorous tale out of mystery and ambiguity. There are many ways films about faith can go wrong, but Lourdes always, and admirably stays on the right side of that equation.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
Lourdes would provide an excellent addition to Austrian and French collections in public and academic libraries.
What kind of film series would this narrative fit in?
The third feature from Jessica Hausner, who has made films in several languages, would fit with a series on her work. It would also fit with a series on the work of Sylvie Testud or Léa Seydoux, who have both built up interesting and varied filmographies
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Lourdes would be suitable for courses on disability, faith, and Catholicism, particularly in France..