Miséricorde (Misericordia)

Few films are fortunate enough to be compared to two universally acclaimed masterpieces, but Miséricorde achieved just that following its Cannes premiere, drawing parallels to Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt and Pasolini's Teorema. Like Pasolini’s film, it explores the disruptive force of an outsider whose sexual desires unravel a family. From Hitchcock, it borrows the suspense of a thriller set in a small, close-knit, and conservative community. At the heart of Miséricorde is Jérémy, who returns to his childhood village for the funeral of the local baker. He lingers, eventually moving in with the widow, much to the dismay of her son. What stands out is that while the male protagonists present themselves as heterosexual, an undercurrent of homoerotic tension is unmistakable. Director Alain Guiraudie has crafted a cleverly constructed thriller with a darkly comedic touch, where repressed desires simmer beneath the surface, adding layers of intrigue and complexity.