Review by John Delia
The atrocities of WWII were not only the work of the Nazis, but the Russian troops made Polish Christians pay a price for life as well. The film The Innocents (“Les Innocentesâ€) tells a true story so appalling that it’s hard to watch. But, you will not want to miss a frame for this true account that took place toward the end of WWII in Poland.
It’s 1945 Poland and the Russians have already taken control of the country, but still cleaning up after hard fought battles with the Germans. In a small village we find Mathilde Beaulieu (Lou de Lâage) a French doctor working in a Red Cross infirmary. She tending the wounds of the French soldiers and local villagers wounded in attempts to help drive out the Nazi invaders. As part of the French military she volunteered to be there, yet finds the work tedious.
One day Zofia (Anna Próchniak), a Polish novice nun, forges snow and a long walk to the village looking for a doctor. A young boy brings her to the French Red Cross where she meets Mathilde. Frantic, Zofia convinces her to return with her to the convent where they need medical help. Arriving at the holy enclave she finds one of the nuns pregnant and about to give birth. So begins the true story of vicious rapes, religious principles and a shrouded sense of guilt.
Director Anne Fontaine depicts the film with amazing storytelling, typical locations of the era, and the perfect cast. Her characters are very realistic showing the angst, incredible stress and torment that several pregnant nuns endure. She even gives a glimpse of the brutality that the Russians inflicted on the nuns through an incident involving Mathilde. Using a backdrop featuring a disturbing musical score and excellent camera work, the experience on the screen becomes real.
Acting by several of the cast members get so intense in their roles that you would think they actually lived the dastardly experience themselves. In the lead role of Mathilde, Lou de Lâage (The Wait – https://yeticket.com/2016/06/the-wait-lattesa-foreign-film-review-trailer/) shows the compassion of the doctor in faced. And there’s the danger from Russian patrols and possible repercussions from her French Red Cross Officer as she takes on the secretive monumental task of treating the pregnant women. It’s a role you’ll surly remember way after the lights come up in the theater.
As Sister Maria, the nun who takes Mathilde under her wing at the convent, Agata Buzek shows through her character the struggle to help her sister nuns in the face of religious beliefs. The doctrine is strict within the confines of their monastery and she has to break the rules in spite of possible excommunication. She’s strong willed and ready to give up all she’s accomplished to accept reality in the face of the rigors of Catholicism. It’s a brilliant performance and a memorable one.
In a statement by Director Anne Fontaine the atrocity and outcome of the true event can be understood. “Les Innocents is inspired from a little-known true event that occurred in Poland in 1945. The story of these nuns is incredible. According to the notes taken by Madeleine Pauliac, the Red Cross doctor who inspired the film, 25 of them were raped in their convent – as much as 40 times in a row for some of them – 20 were killed and 5 had to face pregnancy. This historical fact doesn’t reflect well on the Soviet soldiers, but it’s the truth; a truth that authorities refuses to divulge, even if several historians are aware of the events. These soldiers didn’t feel they were committing a reprehensible act: they were authorized to do so by their superiors as a reward for their efforts. This type of brutality is unfortunately still widely practiced today. Women continue to be subjected to this inhumanity in warring countries around the world.â€
If you go to see a showing of The Innocents, keep in mind that the film is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for disturbing thematic material including sexual assault, and for some bloody images and brief suggestive content. The film spools out in the Polish, French and Russian language with English subtitles.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A disturbing, but important film that shows how fragile the human spirit. (A)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Lou de Lâage, Agata Buzek, Anna Próchniak, Agata Kulesza, Vincent Macaigne
Directed By: Anne Fontaine
Foreign: French, Polish, and Russian
Subtitles: English
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including sexual assault, and for some bloody images and brief suggestive content
Running Time: 1hr. 55min.
Release Date: July 8, 2016
Distributed by: Music Box