Lourdes
A wheelchair-bound pilgrim finds her isolation unsettled by a possible miracle and the complicated gaze of her fellow believers.
Overview
A journey of faith and transformation unfolds in the serene landscapes of the Pyrenees Mountains.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- austere
- mysterious
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's subtle, mysterious treatment of faith and its ability to sustain both belief and skepticism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Christine's apparent recovery is treated simultaneously as possible divine intervention and as a phenomenon open to skepticism.
Pilgrimage activities, group meals, religious ceremonies, and volunteer routines are presented with precise restraint rather than devotional spectacle.
Christine's wheelchair dependence and interactions with healthier pilgrims make her longing for autonomy inseparable from jealousy and social comparison.
The Lourdes pilgrimage organizes strangers into a temporary community shaped by faith, disability, care, competition, and ritual.
Films like Lourdes, and why
The Double Life of Véronique
shared ambiguity about faith, restrained drama, and miraculous possibility
The Turin Horse
shared spiritual uncertainty, austere visual style, and quietly mysterious atmosphere
The Mission
shared institutional pilgrimage setting, moral observation, and humanist drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Jessica Hausner
- Release Date
- 2009-09-11
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (92)
Cast
- Sylvie Testud
- Léa Seydoux
- Elina Löwensohn
- Bruno Todeschini
- Gilette Barbier
- Gerhard Liebmann
- Linde Prelog
- Heidi Baratta
- Hubert Kramar
- Helga Illich
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lourdes about?
- A wheelchair-bound pilgrim finds her isolation unsettled by a possible miracle and the complicated gaze of her fellow believers.
- What is Lourdes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lourdes as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Lourdes violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Lourdes.
- What did critics think of Lourdes?
- Critics broadly praised the film's subtle, mysterious treatment of faith and its ability to sustain both belief and skepticism.
- Which films are like Lourdes?
- Films with a similar feel include The Double Life of Véronique, The Turin Horse, and The Mission.
- How long is Lourdes?
- Lourdes runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lourdes?
- In United States, Lourdes streams on Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel.
