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Jun 30, 2016 By David Kordosh Web Exclusive

By the winter of 1945 the fighting of World War II had ceased, but the crimes and atrocities committed by occupying forces in Europe would last for several more years. The Innocents, the latest film from director Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel, Adore) and her best work to date, is based on the actual story of a group of Polish nuns for whom the consequences of the war and occupation are deeply personal.

Amid regime change and reconstruction in Warsaw, Maria (Agata Buzek) is desperate to find medical aid for her fellow sisters, despite the wishes of her Mother Superior (Agata Kulesza) and the instructions of her faith. The nuns must reconcile their obedience to God’s will against their own welfare and self-preservation. Fearful that exposing her convent’s secrets to local authorities will lead to its shuttering, Maria enlists the help of Mathilde (Lou de Laâge), a young doctor with the French Red Cross. Mathilde reluctantly agrees to help, at great risk to her own relationships, work and safety. Both Buzek and de Laâge give excellent performances. In fact, it would not be surprising to see de Laâge, a French actress, cross over into the Hollywood mainstream in coming years, based on her work here and in 2014’s Breathe.

The Innocents is a muted film, stripped of any indulgences, and Fontaine’s restraint works well. When the camera isn’t static, it’s moving slowly and smoothly over blue-white, snowy exteriors and through candlelit interiors. There is little in the way of ambient noise and Grégoire Hetzel’s score is used sparingly. Music is usually produced by an onscreen source: the playing of a piano, an upbeat dance number from an accordionist and fiddler at a bar, the choral singing of the nuns themselves. The nuns’ wardrobe is, expectedly, plain and monochrome. As their secrets are revealed, dialogue is whispered against the stark backdrop of the unadorned convent walls.

All of this minimalism is used to great effect in keeping the attention focused on narrative and the performances of the ensemble, which ring with authenticity. The predominantly female cast skillfully portrays courage, deceit, humor, and obstinacy. There are no beach landings or bombing raids, but The Innocents is undoubtedly a war film, focusing on the beauty and bravery of those left behind, in this understated and resonant work.

www.musicboxfilms.com/the-innocents-movies-138.php

Author rating: 8/10