La novice

This hopeful German film is one of the most "German" film of the year with "Das Verlangen". Like "Das Experiment" or the others, fortunately, it has not got (so m)any Hollywood clichés.

Director's cinematographic time reherseals, aesthetic angle-reverse angles and the delightful performance of beautiful young actress Kathrin Kuhnel, makes that film remarquable.

You'll see many nuns in this TV film, and the setting is an Abbey near Frankfurt, Germany. But it is fact not a film about the cloister, not even about the church. It is a film about questioning your place in life.

I have been there, done that. No, I did not take up the veil, nor am I catholic, but I did take the long and stony path of a conversion (a jump into quite a different non-Christian world, equal to Monas way from the non-religious world to a nunnery). This film is true on so many levels that it would take its running time to recount them. I have felt the elation, the amazement, I have had moments of deep despair, I have met resistance of family and of new sisters (and brothers) in faith ("What does *she* want here...?"). I have questioned my own motives and wishes and those of others, and find all this portrayed by Kathrin Kühnel. The story keeps twisting and turning and you are not sure until almost the very last minute where Mona will go. All is told while mostly avoiding the usual clichés and with some rather unusual and interesting camera-work and cuts. The moment this comes out on DVD, I'll buy one.

Highly recommended.