Jerusalém - Uma Verdadeira História de Amor e Fé

Between his two works (DAS GEISTERHAUS / The HOUSE of the SPIRITS // FRÄULEIN SMILLAS GESPÜR FÜR SCHNEE / SMILLAS SENSE OF SNOW) for CONSTANTIN producer Bernd EICHINGER, the Danish director Bille AUGUST fulfilled his dream and made this Swedish film based on a novella by the Swedish Nobel Prize winner for literature Selma LAGERLÖF.

It tells the story of a small community in Sweden at the end of the 19th century, which falls into religious madness and emigrates together to the Holy Land. The young lovers Ingmar (Ulf FRIBERG) and Gertrud (Maria BONNEVIE) also get caught up in the turmoil of this religious enthusiasm, which doesn't end well...

A quiet and impressive film that is rarely seen in German-speaking countries. I remember a TV broadcast sometime in the nineties.

Pernilla AUGUST, ACADEMY AWARD nominee Max von SYDOW and ACADEMY AWARD winner Olympia DUKAKIS can also be seen in other roles.

Very interesting study of the effects of religion, especially cult-like Christianity, in a small Swedish town at the turn of the 20th century.

Has a great feel for time and place, and some very moving moments.

It almost becomes a great film, but – at least on 1st viewing – there was too much missing from understanding some of he characters' choices (perhaps because this was edited down from a mini-series), and a few too many melodramatic twists (again, with more time that might have felt less bothersome as they might have felt less on top of each other.)

Certainly a film I could imagine re-visiting, and would love to see the full, longer version.

I enjoyed this mature, wise view of the human existence. The movie is very involving. The story line is critical of a Christian cult, but the last scene was a glorious affirmation of tradition, family and Church. The visuals are pleasingly luminous.

Bille August is one of the world's best directors. He can get the most enchanting moments from his actors. And his "Jerusalem" is a very good example of it. Long uncut takes with only little dialog show intense and breathtaking acting skills from every actor/actress - especially Maria Bonnevie.

Examples of this are: The scene where Maria's character Gertrud is walking alone in the forest and has a vision of Jesus for the first time; and one of the last scenes in Jerusalem where she sits with her friend who tells her; "You have to forgive... otherwise you will never be able to love again." ...

If you want to see truly unique acting skills this is where you want to go.

Sadly it has not yet been released on DVD. I only have it on old VHS. Let us have a full special edition DVD soon please.

With breath-taking scenery, this film is one of the very best Swedish films ever. Beautiful and true to the history of Christianism in the late 19th century, this piece of art is as much a homage to Selma Lagerlöf as it is to our national heritage. It is also a sad love story, of how religion and fanaticism can destroy families, shatter homes and lay to waste entire towns and villages: the fear of the cruel God.

Ultimately, this film tells us that home is where the heart is, religion or not. It is rather love that is the essence here, whether it be love of God or love of family and the love of home, and it is obvious to me that loneliness is the price Karin has to pay for her fanaticism.

A beautiful film.