38/13

Returning to Saint-Martial for the funeral of his late boss, Jeremy, who lives with Martina’s widow, finds himself involved in the disappearance of a threatening neighbor and the shadowy intentions of the abbot. The film was widely tipped to be in the Official Competition of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, but was instead placed in the Cannes Première sidebar. Misericordia is shot at a leisurely pace, and when shooting begins, it’s impossible not to hold back the laughter until it reaches its peak in the final shot. With very mild humor sprinkled throughout the film, it tells the story of a silent man who visits a village to attend the funeral of his mentor. There he meets his teacher’s wife, his son, and a priest, who seem to be saying something other than what’s on their mind. What I love about Misericordia is how it suddenly changes its script to make the audience laugh, and all in an unflinching style. Reminded me of Deerskin (2019) and The Bra (2018). (Watched at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024.)

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