Lourdes

Christine (Sylvie Testud) has been in a wheelchair for most of her life, and suffers a sense of isolation. Desperately wanting to take part in the world around her, she travels to Lourdes on an organised tour accompanied by carers from the Order of Malta. Sceptic though she is, Christine, like so many others, is hoping for a miraculous cure at the iconic site of pilgrimage. The third film from Jessica Hausner (Lovely Rita, Hotel), Lourdes is a meticulously drawn and precisely nuanced study taking in themes of faith, hope and charity. Hausner is faultless in creating a sense of atmosphere – vague foreboding hangs in the air, and there is a feeling of things all being slightly off-kilter, reinforced by the film's cool palette. That this is a less austere film than Hotel is largely due to the carefully drawn characters, and the relationship between them. Sylvie Testud gives a superb performance as Christine, capturing her frustrations and indignities as well as her glimpsed possibility of a different life, and the interactions between pilgrims and carers are acutely observed. They also sometimes make for uncomfortable viewing, as Hausner explores the complex dynamics of seemingly selfless acts.

Sandra Hebron