MISERICORDE/ MISERICORDIA, France, 2024. Starring Felix Kysyl, Catherine Frot, Jean-Baptiste Durand, Jacques Develay, David Ayala. 103 minutes. Directed by Alain Guiraudie. Rated R (two sequences, high impact nudity).
Misericordia has been described as an existential drama. As a useful description, no matter whether it it encourages or is off-putting. And, it is a French existential drama, remembering Descartes’s ‘I think, therefore I am’. As well as, ‘I feel, therefore I am’.
Misericordia is the Latin word from mercy, which also includes themes of kindness and forgiveness. In fact, this drama is set in a French village and a Catholic context, the iconography, a eulogy at a funeral questioning the nature of death, transition to a heavenly life of love, and the presence of a priest throughout the film. At times, there is empathy for these religious themes, at others, a critique of double standards in religious behaviour. And, in the middle of the film, a sequence not referred to in any of the main critiques, a significant confession-reversal theme, a character standing in for the priest, the priest confessing as a penitent.
The significant point of reference for what happens in this village is the role of the central character, Jeremie, former baker, out of work, driving in the long opening sequence through the French countryside into the village, arriving for the funeral of a boss to whom he was devoted. The widow is sympathetic. Her son, short-tempered, married with a child, has been alienated from Jeremie, his childhood friend.
Another point of reference. In the late 1960s, there were several films, including Paolo Pasolini’s Teorema, where a stranger enters the life of a family, seductive, changing each character.
There are some early intimations of the homoerotic atmosphere – and this certainly emerges throughout the film. The priest is also present much of the time – in the family home, and, especially, foraging in the important activity for the village, the search for and gathering of special mushrooms.
The screenplay stays with Jeremie throughout the film. Initially enigmatic in his return, his decision to stay, trying to probe what is going on in his mind, in his emotions, the loner, the repressed gay man, his sometimes erratic behaviour, his violence, his lies, his rationalisations, the probing of the police and their investigations, continued support of the priest and the revelation of his own emotions.
Throughout the film the audience sees an alarm clock shining at various times during the night. And, sometimes, Jeremie cries out in his dreams, reliving the violence, imagining interrogation by the police in his room. Which means that the film should not be judged as ‘realistic’. Rather, it is something of a parable about a lonely man, wilful behaviour, acknowledging truth, experiencing some kind of misericordia.
As has been said, this film is French in tone. It might be something of a different experience were there to be an overtly emotional version from Italy or, by contrast, a sombre version from the Scandinavian countries. A film designed for thoughtful and reflective audiences.
Bounty Films
Released 8 May