Mouchette (1966)

Robert Bresson’s moving chronicle of 24 hours in the life of a neglected and abused teenage girl.

Adapted (like Diary of a Country Priest) from a Georges Bernanos novel, Mouchette chronicles 24 hours in the life of a girl in her early teens, neglected and abused by family, teachers, schoolmates and others in her impoverished rural village. Understandably, the surly protagonist barely smiles, but Robert Bresson’s compassionate treatment of her predicament ensures that her progress – not least at a fairground – becomes profoundly affecting.

1966 France
Directed by
Robert Bresson
Produced by
Mag Bodard
Written by
Robert Bresson
Featuring
Nadine Nortier, Jean-Claude Guilbert, Paul Hébert
Running time
90 minutes

Ranked in The Greatest Films of All Time poll

Sight and Sound