Dir: Ulrich Seidl
2012
****
Ulrich Seidl's Paradise Trilogy, based on the theological virtues of Love, Faith and Hope, revolve around three related women, each of which have their own film. The ideology of the three virtues being paradise are each delivered with a dry but humorous twist and with contemporary themes. Faith sees Anna Maria, sister of Teresa and Aunt of Melanie (both of who are explored further in the 1st and 3rd parts of the trilogy respectively) continue her missionary work during her annual leave as a clinic technician. Ulrich Seidl has a history of exploring aspects of religion in his films and seems to have issue with Catholicism especially. It's not really just a simple swipe at Christianity though but more of a exploration of a missionary and the idea behind being one. Seidl explores the hardship and punishment people inflict on themselves in the name of their faith and the hypocrisies that can often surface in doing so. The film crawls at a snails pace but this is more than made up for in the second half when the pace picks up and things get pretty dark. All three films are beautifully composed but this one is extra special in that there is no location other than Anna Maria's house. Seidl find the beauty, horror and humour and the ordinary and mundane.
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