Review of Anchoress (1993) by Samantha B — 27 Apr 2009

Anchoress portrays Christine, a 14-year old illiterate peasant girl, who finds herself drawn to a statue of the Virgin Mary. She soon enters the stern life of a female mystic/recluse, in part because she has visions of the Blessed Mother, in part to escape the unwanted advances of her landlord.

In the vain of Bergman or Tarkovsky, the film explores the conflicts between the innocence of naturalism and the rigidity of established Christianity. Filmed in black and white, the poetic suggestions and use of imagery are simply spectacular. This film is worth seeing for the cinematography alone. Shot on location in northern France, full of medieval icons and stone buildings, surrounded by peasant farms and fields the film touched on many local customs and lore : gypsies with houses in trees, a dark-tressed virgin Mary-possibly an older connection to Ceres or an earth-mother goddess, early midwivery, and, perhaps most importantly the desire for a direct connection to God, which conflicts with the Church-as-middle-man role.

Even if you're not interested in the genre or subject matter, I would recommend this solely on its dreamy, visual sumptuousness.