TAKE TEN | Lourdes
The best scene, soundtrack and review of Jessica Hausner’s Lourdes.
Name Lourdes.
Birthdate/vintage 2009.
That scene The astonishing opening in which a Lourdes canteen slowly fills with crowds of the faithful and their carers.
Did you see? Léa Seydoux in an early role as a volunteer carer.
Don’t watch it with Your newly atheist teenage cousin.
Listen back to “Felicita” by Al Bano & Romina Power, performed in karaoke by Léa Seydoux over the film’s last, deeply mysterious moments.
Champion One online reviewer on rogerebert.com: “I have never been to Lourdes but it looks like a nice place to visit. The hotel shown in the film looks good”
Antagonist Kyle Smith of the New York Post: “it'll be a real miracle if anyone manages to stay awake throughout this extravagantly dull film”.
Not to be confused with Underwater B-movie Lords of the Deep (1989).
Pair with Émile Zola’s novel Lourdes.
Lourdes is available to stream as part of TANK’s season Beyond Varda. Subscribe for just £3 a month for access to 40+ films throughout the year.