Travis Simpkins: La Religieuse or "The Nun" (2013): Louise Bourgoin and Pauline Etienne

Saturday, August 1, 2015

La Religieuse or "The Nun" (2013): Louise Bourgoin and Pauline Etienne

Written and directed by Guillaume Nicloux, based on the novel by Denis Diderot, La Religieuse or The Nun (2013) was well-received by critics. The story, set in the 18th Century, follows a young novitiate, forced into a convent by her parents, as she deals with both physical and mental restraints. Mistreatment and doubt inhibit her very being as she struggles to come to terms with her life as a Nun. The cinematography and historical sets are well-conceived and dramatic. Pauline Etienne is wonderful in the lead role. Louise Bourgoin is both beautiful and cruel as a domineering Abbess. The supporting cast is great as well, including Isabelle Huppert and Martina Gedeck.