That it has been nine months since Alain Guiraudie’s Misericordia premiered at Cannes should do nothing to diminish the excitement of its U.S. release finally commencing next month. I saw the film right in the heart of a busy NYFF schedule and have found it retaining more than most, still disturbing me well after a first encounter. As Guiraudie fans should find themselves pleased, newcomers might come away hoping to see as much as they can; few working directors are so brilliant with tone and temperament, so fearless towards concepts of moral judgement.
Ahead of Misericordia‘s March 21 opening from Janus and Sideshow, we’re pleased to exclusively debut a poster that melds its three great strengths: Félix Kysyl’s unknowable expression, autumnal atmosphere, and a splash of blood where needed (or desired). Extra credit for a tagline that got a genuine smirk out of me.
As Leonardo Goi said in his review from Cannes, “Misericordia is neither a dirge nor a lofty symposium. Strange as it may be to say for a story that begins with a burial and then shatters after a heinous death, this is a supremely and surprisingly funny film, where humor gradually accrues a subversiveness not unlike desire’s own.”
Find the poster and preview below, and check back next month for my interview with Guiraudie:
