Nazarin
A relentlessly sincere priest becomes a wandering test case for Christian compassion in a society that answers purity with suspicion and hostility.
Overview
A priest's unwavering faith faces the harsh realities of a world filled with distrust and hatred.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- austere
- contemplative
- melancholic
- serious film study
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Nazarín as a powerful, morally complex religious drama whose austere treatment of faith combines compassion with skepticism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Father Nazario persists in living according to strict Christian principles despite hatred, suspicion, and rejection.
The film foregrounds miracles, superstition, hysteria, and belief while allowing their meaning to remain uncertain.
Nazario is a priest committed to honesty and purity, yet he is treated with distrust and hostility by those around him.
The priest's religious struggle unfolds through shelters, illness, death, superstition, and encounters with marginalized people.
Films like Nazarin, and why
The Silence
shared austere religious drama, moral ambiguity, and critique of institutional faith
Diary of a Country Priest
shared spiritually searching protagonist, social marginality, and bleak humanism
Viridiana
shared Buñuelian skepticism, Catholic themes, and darkly ironic drama
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
shared compassionate outsider figure confronting cruelty, superstition, and social hypocrisy
Movie Details
- Director
- Luis Buñuel
- Release Date
- 1959-06-04
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (163)
Cast
- Francisco Rabal
- Marga López
- Rita Macedo
- Ignacio López Tarso
- Ofelia Guilmáin
- Luis Aceves Castañeda
- Noé Murayama
- Rosenda Monteros
- Jesús Fernández
- Ada Carrasco
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Nazarin about?
- A relentlessly sincere priest becomes a wandering test case for Christian compassion in a society that answers purity with suspicion and hostility.
- What is Nazarin like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Nazarin as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Nazarin violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Nazarin as mild.
- What did critics think of Nazarin?
- Critics broadly regard Nazarín as a powerful, morally complex religious drama whose austere treatment of faith combines compassion with skepticism.
- Which films are like Nazarin?
- Films with a similar feel include The Silence, Diary of a Country Priest, Viridiana, and The Gospel According to St. Matthew.
- How long is Nazarin?
- Nazarin runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Nazarin?
- In United States, Nazarin streams on YouTube TV.
