Black Robe

Bruce Beresford, Canada/Australia, 1991, 100 minutes

This is a savage but beautiful story set in Quebec in 1634 which focuses on the attempts of a priest to convert indian tribes to Christianity. Father Laforgue (Lothaire Bluteau) is a Jesuit priest on a mission to convert the Huron tribe. He travels with some members of another tribe, one of whom, Daniel, is his interpreter. During their journey Laforgue introduces to them the technique of writing while they accuse him of being a demon. Moreover, he becomes increasingly disturbed by the tribe's attitude to sexuality...

Based on Brian Moore's novel - he also wrote the screenplay - Beresford's film is a successful attempt to portray the gap between Western and non-Western mentalities and world-views. The director abstains from examining in detail the norms of the Indian tribes and he concentrates on evoking the physical environment that surrounds them. By concentrating on the "outsider" Laforgue, Beresford focuses on his inability to penetrate into the codes and rules of the tribes, rather than making the Indians hostile to any newcomer. Their hostility reflects only the disrespect the priest has for their beliefs and culture. Blutheau captures superbly the growing isolation of the priest and his complete sense of alienation, while the harmony between the tribe's life and the landscape is evoked through the meticulous photography which captures the wild nature in all its splendour.

Review by Spiros Gangas
Taken from EUFS Programme 1993-94