Mother Joan of Angels

aka: Matka Joanna od Aniolow
Poland 1961, 101 minutes, B/W
Dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz
In Polish with English subtitles
Rating: [PG]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Drama

Topics: Religion.

Aroview: A landmark of post-WW2 Polish cinema recounts in stunningly composed b&w images the disturbing true-story of a 17th century French convent in Loudon, where the nuns were alleged to be sexually possessed by malevolent spirits.

Told from the perspective of a priest sent to investigate the rumours and exorcise the Mother Superior, he falls prey to moral doubts and ambiguous feelings toward the sensual abandon of the nuns. Dir. Kawalerowicz investigates through his disquieting visuals of stark landscapes, tormented faces and minimal interiors the enigmatic nature of evil to very spooky effect. Note: Ken Russell's THE DEVILS was also based on the Loudon incident.