The life of St. Thr究e de Lisieux, a young Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis, is the inspiration for this spare, sincere French film. The obsessively religious Thr究e (Catherine Mouchet) fights to be allowed to join the rigorous order of nuns, taking her petition all the way to the Pope himself. After becoming part of the sisterhood, Thr究e takes joy in the strict rituals and devotions, until she develops tuberculosis and her inner connection with God suddenly leaves her; despite this, she never loses faith, and writes a private diary (which, when published after her death, became hugely popular). The settings of every scene are depicted only by furniture; the neutral background puts all the focus on the rich performances of the actors, including Hl盯e Alexandridis as a young nun who falls in love with Thr究e. An elegant film, perhaps best appreciated by Catholics. --Bret Fetzer
