La Religieuse

In eighteenth century France, novice Suzanne (Anna Karina) is compelled to take her vows and become a nun. As she does what she can to resist, Suzanne is shuttled between convents with widely different Mothers Superior, ranging from maternal to sadistic to amorous. Based on the novel by Denis Diderot, Rivette’s film was banned at its initial release and became the scandal du jour.

Restored in 4K from the original film negative by L’Immagine Ritrovata, under the supervision of Studiocanal and Mrs. Véronique Manniez-Rivette, with the support of the Centre National du Cinéma, La Cinématheque Française, and the Franco-American Cultural Fund-DGA-MPA-SACEM-WGAW.

“THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN THE PRESENT
TO APPRECIATE IT ANEW...[The film's] portrait of totalitarian authority and the reckless abuse of clerical power is as scaldingly resonant now as it ever was.” — Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

“LIKE THE ROMANESQUE CAPITALS OF THE CISTERCIAN ABBEYS OF FRANCE: PURE, AUSTERE, AND HARD TO REACH…THE REAL ACHIEVEMENT OF RIVETTE IS TO HAVE MADE A FILM WHICH IS BOTH SPIRITUAL AND ‘ANTI-RELIGIOUS.’” — CLAIRE CLOUZOT

“A GREAT FILM. ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF THE FRENCH NEW WAVE.” — Jonathan Rosenbaum

“Full of cold anger and frustration, conveying the full extent of the mounting resentment against a too-rigid social structure that would soon erupt — for Diderot, with the revolution of 1789; for Rivette, with the near revolution of 1968.” — Dave Kehr