Pani Krystyna takes the class of 2017 out to see The Innocents

CINEFEST DURHAM has been bringing quality Canadian and international films to Durham Region since 1995

Director: Anne Fontaine

Cast: Lou de Laage, Agata Buzek, Agata Kulesza
Year: 2016 Runtime: 115 minutes
Language: French, Polish, Russian with English subtitles

In December 1945, the Second World War is finally over and Doctor Mathilde is treating the last of the French survivors of the German camps in Warsaw. Summoned to a nearby convent one night, what she finds is shocking: a holy sister about to give birth and several more in advanced stages of pregnancy. A non-believer, Mathilde enters the sisters’ fiercely private world, dictated by the rituals of their order and the strict Rev. Mother. Fearing the shame of exposure, the hostility of the new anti-Catholic Communist government, and facing an unprecedented crisis of faith, the nuns increasingly turn to Mathilde as their belief and traditions clash with harsh realities. The Innocents isn’t always easy to watch, but its nuanced exploration of complex themes and its refreshing perspective are well worth the effort.

“The Innocents is a powerful, brave film that will stay with you for days.” Ellen Brait, Globe and Mail
The Innocents – Official Trailer
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