Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
130 mins • 1961 • France • Digital • Black and White
![](https://ifi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/LÉON-MORIN-PRIEST1_med.jpg)
A four film programme celebrates the centennial of Jean-Pierre Melville – see the full lineup here.
Dr Brigitte Le Juez, Associate Professor at DCU, will introduce this screening.
This brilliant adaptation of Béatrix Beck’s autobiography centres on a young atheist, communist widow Barny (Emmanuelle Riva), and her developing love for a handsome unconventional priest (Jean-Paul Belmondo) who tries to convert her. Seen through the eyes of Barny, their dual-like encounters walk a thin line between religious passion and sexual tension, delicately constructed through Henri Decaë’s low-key photography, effective editing, and skillful use of voice-over.
(Notes by Marie-Pierre Richard)
This film is screening as part of the Jean-Pierre Melville Centennial Celebration at this year’s IFI French Film Festival. Tickets for all Melville screenings cost €7 each.
Programme supported by the Institut Français and the French Embassy in Ireland. Special thanks to Christine Houard, Institut Français; Cultural Services of the French Embassy in Ireland.
Screening as part of the IFI French Film Festival 2017 – November 15th to 26th.