Chemin de croix

This exceptional movie graphically illustrates what religious indoctrination does to the mind and thinking of a child and is about as far removed from the Biblical manifestation of the LOVE of God as it's possible to get. Based on Catholic theology, the story follows a teenage girl's idealistic pursuit to get to heaven by achieving religious purity through self denial and repression. Her devout mother rules her family with an iron fist never passing up an opportunity to denigrate and poison her daughter with barbs of criticism and verbal flagellation. Her father is depicted as weak and hen-pecked into a state of total submission. Inevitably this results in a predictable breakdown for the vulnerable young girl and is heart-breaking to watch. Yet, this is a compelling, almost necessary, story that is extremely well written and superbly acted by all the players. This is well worth watching whatever faith or background you come from.

Not many films get rated 10 by me, this one did. Because on top of being a perfectly told story: acting, cinematography, plot and anything else I would wish to find in a film. It's also speaking cinema. The film speaks with camera movements - yes there are almost no camera movements and when they do come they're hardly noticeable, but when they do arrive they speak volumes. They tell us the story and how the director feels about it. With finesse and mastery of his media rarely found in modern cinema. I don't want to overlook the superb acting, mainly the two leads - Lea Van Acken with a gut wrenching performance as the innocent and deeply religious Maria. And Franziska Weisz as her horrible fanatic mother who remains nameless. All the others do their share without a single false note. Such masterpieces are the reason I go to cinema festivals, finding two within two days made this year's Jerusalem Film Festival a success as far as I'm concerned. Look this one out and watch it, I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

'Stations of the Cross' tells the story of the life and death of a young, and very religious, girl, by analogy to the 14 eponymous icons of Jesus's death that are typically displayed in a Catholic chuch; the point is further made by framing the story as 14 scenes, each filmed with a static camera. At first, the movie seems boring, in part because of the lack of camera movement; but as we get to know the characters, it becomes an increasingly intense, and occasionally moving, experience. What is less clear is the exact purpose here: a denounciation of an austere Catholic sect, and a mother figure devoid of the capacity for love, are clear, but the idea that evil can lurk behind claims to be good is scarcely revolutionary, and the absence of any trace of humanity in the film's most monstrous figures is a weakness. In places it reminded me of 'Breaking the Waves', but without any of that film's playfulness.

First of all, I'm English and don't speak German. I had to rely on the subtitles. And the film is very dialogue heavy. However, in my opinion this is a very interesting and thought provoking film concerning strong catholic beliefs and the strains of teenage angst. Probably not everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed it and it kept me thinking afterwards.

"Stations of the Cross" (2014 release from Germany; 110 min.; original title "Kreuzweg") brings the story of a strongly religious Catholic girl named Maria. As the movie opens, we see Maria and five other young teenagers getting a last lesson from the local priest, in preparation for their Confirmation, now just a week away. In the next scene, we observe Maria and her family taking a stroll in a park, and it becomes clear very quickly that there are serious tensions between Maria and her mom, who seems to rule the family with an iron fist. What will become of Maria? How will the tension with her mom play out? To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself….

Couple of comments: first, the movie is highly stylish, and for an unusual reason: the movie is brought in 14 chapters, paralleling the 14 stations of the cross that Jesus encounters in his final days and hours. Each of these 14 scenes is brought in a single take, and all but two chapters (late in the film) are filmed with a fixed camera angle. Sitting through the first chapter (with the 6 kids getting Confirmation class), I had no idea whether this movie was going to appeal to me. Literally nothing happens. Then the next chapter comes, and the one after that, and slowly you start to realize that you are watching a harrowing family drama set in a highly conservative Catholic family where any sign of modernism is loathed. The Second Vatican Council reforms are flat-out rebuked, and instead 'old style' Cathlolicism is sought at every step in life. Meanwhile young Maria is trying to find her one path, all the while trying to get her stern mom's love and approval. As it happens, I grew up in an all-out Catholic environment in Belgium in the 60s and 70s. A number of scenes in the movie brought back memories I hadn't thought of in YEARS (such as when I had my Confirmation in 1972). The film features a towering and heartbreaking performance from Lea van Acken as the young Maria, leaving you to shake your head in disbelief, and let's not forget Franziska Weisz as Maria's mom, playing about as unlikeable a character as I've seen in a long time. Kudos to director and co-writer Dietrich Brüggemann for bringing us this highly original, if tense, family drama. I wish we'd get more movies of this caliber more often.

"Stations of the Cross" was released in the US by the good folks at Film Movement, which over the years has released a tons of great foreign and indie movies that otherwise would never have seen the light of day in the US. As usual, the DVD comes with a bonus shortie, and this time it's an 11 min. film from Germany called "One Shot" which director Dietrich Brüggemann made to great acclaim before he had a chance to make "Stations of the Cross". Definitely worthwhile checking out as well. Meanwhile, "Stations of the Cross" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!