header images

Sacred Heart Wimbledon

Edge Hill, London SW19 4LU
Tel.: 020 8946 0305

an inclusive, welcoming and open Catholic parish serving the wider community

what's on - HCPT - Group 35

19/09/2010 - 1:00pm HCPT Group 35 BBQ

"Lourdes" a New Film

The new film "Lourdes" is due to be shown at HMV Curzon Wimbledon after Easter.

Well reviewed - eg  an extract from Time Out reads:

...It sees Testud’s paraplegic pilgrim looking to the divine for physical welfare and achieving unexpectedly life-changing results...

Obviously likely to be of interest  to  those who have or might  travel to Lourdes  and HCPT Group 35 but also perhaps of wider interest.

 

 

Lourdes - Directed by Jessica Hausener

A thought provoking film (French with English sub titles) which manages to strike the difficult balance between being over respectful on the one hand and over pious on the other. The acting especially by Sylvie Testud who was the main character Christine, was excellent. I liked the way in which some of the Lourdes landmarks were filmed - the High Stations of the Cross for instance but felt that others such as the grotto were a little staged. The underground basilica looks better in reality than on the film. The street scenes were good however but why no real scene at the taps? The question that hung brilliantly over the latter part of the film and which was thankfully not answered was whether Christine who was suffering from MS had been cured of that physical affliction. Whilst pondering over that aspect the ways in others in her pilgrimage group reacted to the possiblity of cure was fascinating. For a while she could even dance and attracted the attentions of one of the more handsome helpers. Yet later when doubts set in, he was off, apparently. From a catholic point of view I felt that some ways in which the group's chaplain was depicted were a little too pre Vatican II but then maybe the organisers of a Knights of Malta pilgrimage group would tend to the conservative side of the church. The absence of children (HCPT Easter Groups are very child focused) gave a somewhat quieter atmosphere to Lourdes and its pilgrims on the film than would be experienced when there are crowds of young people present. It was good to meet another HCPT Group 35 helper in the cinema and briefly discuss the film with her -she was leaving Wimbledon's HMV Curzon as we were entering. Her main criticism was that the pace of the film was slow. I disagree with her as the slow pace was part of the attraction and gave (me anyway) time for reflection as the scenes developed.

Leave a comment or question on this page

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy.