9 11: Lourdes (2009)

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Lourdes (2009)

Lourdes, famous pilgrimage place and holy theme park in France. Every year 5 million people visit here and expect to be healed by alleged holy water. Since 1860, over 200 million people have visited the shrine but scientifically nothing found about healing power of the water. The film tells a story of a disabled woman, named Christine who comes to Lourdes to be cured. The film was shot with the agreement of Church authorities but I think, it is dealing with the phenomenon from highly secular point of view. While we witness the insight and routine of this place, the dialogs force us to think about authenticity of the miracle. For example, after a small group watched a footage about an allegedly healed man, two women start to discuss together:

"Did you notice anything?"
"What?"
"The man who'd had the miracle, he was sitting down."
"Yes, so?"
"We didn't see him get up once."
"..."
"Doesn't that make you think?"

Just after Christine bathed with the holy water, she gets up and begins to walk. And that day, questions arise among the other pilgrims: Is this a miracle? Or is this just a temporary improvement? Why her, not me? And for Christine, what will happen to her after this event? Can she make a career and family and live happily ever after?

As one IMDb user stated that this artistic and cleverly written film portrays "commercial aspects of organised religion and the negative aspects of human nature masquerading as piety" and leaves us with questions at the depressing ending (in contrast to the song called Felicita means happiness).

File Name ..........: Lourdes.2009.LiMiTED.BDRip.XviD-AVCDVD.avi
Total Size (MB) ....: 695,91 MB
Video Length .......: 01:39:18

- ENGLISH SUBTITLES INCLUDED -
- ALL LINKS ARE INTERCHANGEABLE -