Jérémie Pastor (Félix Kysyl), an unemployed baker from Toulouse, returns to his native country village to attend the funeral of his former boss and town baker J.P. Rigal. A one-night stay at widower Martine Rigal’s (Catherine Frot) extends itself to no set date.
Vincent Rigal (Jean-Baptiste Durand) expresses hostility then violence towards Pastor thinking he wants to cozy up with Martine his mother so he can then sleep with her. At one point fighting with Pastor he knocks him to the ground saying leave this town or else. Pastor then retaliates to the point it would appear there is an uneasy stalemate.
Pastor makes some sexual moves on grubby and obese Walter (David Ayala) infuriating Walter who chases him out of his house shooting a rifle in the escaping Pastor’s direction.
Amidst this aggression and violence a murder (or perhaps an act of self-defence) is committed and the body buried in the forest.
The facts gradually point to who the murderer is but due to heavy currents of hetro and homo lust swirling about the obvious truth pointing to the killer the obvious is ignored in blind eye fashion. A bizarre philosophical and lustful abbey (Jacques Develay) adds to the complications. Martine is shyly lustful. Pastor is lustful. Walter is lustful pretending not to be. The gendarmes are lustful and diabolical not sexually but in hot pursuit of the killer. Vincent is not lustful but fatally hot headed. The killer is racked by Raskolnikovian guilt and ready to jump off a cliff overlooking a beautiful autumnal forest he is saved by godly lust!
In Misericordia does lust foster sets of blind eyes? It seems so. Forget the whodunit in the film as we viewers already know the identity of the murderer.
This film by Alain Guiraudie nominated for 7 César Awards including best film and best director.
Joint French/Spanish/Portuguese production.
You can watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wk2SgBIoF4
Theatrical release of the film commences in Canada 28March2025.
RKS 2025 Film Rating 72/100.
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 