For those who have faith ,no explanation is necessary ;for those who have not,no explanation is possible.This warning appears at the beginning of "the song of Bernadette " which starred Jennifer Jones.
"Lourdes " is a remarkable documentary ; there's no voice-over ,no real comment ;no time is given over to the moneychangers of the Temple -who are numerous- and the fact that Lourdes is the second hotel town in France is passed over in silence .
Most of the time is devoted to the visitors : the sick of course, a girl rejected by the youngsters her age in her school , a (male) prostitute ;and the role of the nurses , the people who accompany the suffering along the way are not overlooked ,we catch glimpses of scouts (who have always been a great help for disabled person ).And there are also soldiers,the legionnaires' pilgrimage to Lourdes is de rigueur.
The voices we hear are theirs ,not that of a famous actor who recites a comment. The disabled does soul-searching: why would the Lord heal me? why me? My neighbor is ,in HIS eyes ,as important as I am; the girl ill-at-ease with herself does not cheer up very much ,in spite of her father's desperate encouragements but will return to her school and perhaps her faith will help her be accepted by her mate; the prostitute feels guilt,he often promises to give up this job he loathes ,but finds it hard to give up ;may be this time ,maybe ....
Watching a movie such as this one can help us become a better human being.
To touch the wall of the cave is indispensable ,it's a sacred ritual
"Lourdes " is a remarkable documentary ; there's no voice-over ,no real comment ;no time is given over to the moneychangers of the Temple -who are numerous- and the fact that Lourdes is the second hotel town in France is passed over in silence .
Most of the time is devoted to the visitors : the sick of course, a girl rejected by the youngsters her age in her school , a (male) prostitute ;and the role of the nurses , the people who accompany the suffering along the way are not overlooked ,we catch glimpses of scouts (who have always been a great help for disabled person ).And there are also soldiers,the legionnaires' pilgrimage to Lourdes is de rigueur.
The voices we hear are theirs ,not that of a famous actor who recites a comment. The disabled does soul-searching: why would the Lord heal me? why me? My neighbor is ,in HIS eyes ,as important as I am; the girl ill-at-ease with herself does not cheer up very much ,in spite of her father's desperate encouragements but will return to her school and perhaps her faith will help her be accepted by her mate; the prostitute feels guilt,he often promises to give up this job he loathes ,but finds it hard to give up ;may be this time ,maybe ....
Watching a movie such as this one can help us become a better human being.
To touch the wall of the cave is indispensable ,it's a sacred ritual