Review of The Holy Girl (2004) by Ela T — 07 Mar 2009

Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel established herself with her first film "La Ciénaga" ("The Swamp") in 2001. "La Nina Santa" ("The Holy Girl") was her second feature, and a 2004 Cannes Film Festival entry. Set in the town of La Ciénaga, Amalia (Maria Alche) lives with her glamorous, divorcee mother, who runs a slightly seedy hotel, currently occupied by doctors attending a medical conference. One of the doctors makes a lewd advance while Amalia is watching a musician in the street. Initially shocked, Amelia proceeds to stalk him, uncertain whether she hopes to save his soul or inflame her own body, caught in a confusing web of frustration, desire, and anticipation, never sure whether she is erring on the side of sin or vocational service.

The tale of teenagers is set against a background of instruction in the Catholic faith and her teacher's efforts to inspire Amalia and her friends with religious fervour and a vocation to save others from sin. Martel describes her film as one which explores good and evil - not the battle between them, but the difficulty distinguishing one from the other. The teacher doubtless believes she is doing good, but her teaching is claustrophobic and corruptingly sanctimonious. Martel has also commented that there are comparisons between medicine and holiness - both can lead to good, both can corrupt.

It's a slow-paced, atmospheric film, stripped of glamour, oppressively naturalistic in its representation of adolescence, and bluntly uncritical of the religious straitjacket created for the young women. Martel makes no moral judgements but lets the narrative play along. The viewer can judge. This is not an optimistic film, it does not conclude with some reassuring recognition that Amalia and her best friend will find happiness. Instead, they are left floating in the pool, destined to drift down the days until they can reach some conclusion or more likely just drift. They will be expected to play the roles of wife, mother, divorcee, object and have proscribed their own desires.

It's a watchable, entertaining film, comic in places, well-performed, but not one which will necessarily find a place in your list of favourites. It can be depressing and pessimistic in tone. "La Nina Santa" has won a deal of critical acclaim. It is a good, thought-provoking film, well worth a watch, but it is not an electrifying one.