16/22
Chronology
Returning to Saint-Martial for the funeral of his late boss, Jérémie’s stay with the widow Martine becomes entangled in a disappearance, a menacing neighbor, and the shady intentions of an abbot. The film was widely expected to appear in the Official Competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, but was placed in the Cannes Première sidebar. Misericordia takes its time filming, and when it starts shooting, you can’t help but laugh until it grows into the final image. With very gentle humor sprinkled throughout the film, it tells the story of a taciturn man who visits a village to attend the funeral of a mentor. There he meets his mentor’s wife, his son, and a priest – all of whom seem to be saying something other than what they have in mind. What I love about Misericordia is how abruptly it changes its writing to make the viewer laugh, all in a deadpan style. It reminded me of Deerskin (2019) and The Bra (2018). (Screened at the 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)