Alain Guiraudie’s new, Hitchcockian black comedy-thriller, Misericordia, concerns murder and desire, this time set in a small village in the Massif Central.
Misericordia was selected to be screened in the non-competitive Cannes Premiere section at the 2024 Cannes Film Fest, and made its U.S. premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Fest. However, it was released theatrically in many countries in 2025.
The text begins when Jérémie (Félix Kysyl) returns to his hometown of Saint-Martial to attend his former boss’s funeral. He stays for a few days with his widow, Martine (Catherine Frot), but hiis presence angers her son Vincent.
A ferocious fight ensues between the two men, ending with Jérémie killing Vincent. Howeve, he then manages to conceal his crime with the unexpected help of the village priest, who provides him with an alibi in exchange for his affection.
Guiraudie keeps characters’ motivations and desires ambiguous in this ethically askwed world, and the queerly polymorphous sexuality makes it a challenge to track who’s into whom and fir what reason.
Gay Directors, Gay Films? By Emanuel Levy (Columbia University Pres)
What makes Misericordia more ground is that as an exploration of repressed urges, Eros and Thanatos, taboo and transgression, it does not count out or neglect more basic and normal needs.
Claire Mathon served as the director of photography, after having worked on Guiraudie’s earlier films, Stranger by the Lake (2013) and Staying Vertical (2016).
The film, which won the 2024 Louis Delluc Prize, received 8 nominations at the 50th César Awards (French Oscars), including Best Film, but won none.
Misericordia was named the best film of 2024 by the French film magazine Cahiers du Cinéma.
Cast
Félix Kysyl as Jérémie Pastor
Catherine Frot as Martine Rigal
Jacques Develay as Abbé Philippe Griseul
Jean-Baptiste Durand as Vincent Rigal
David Ayala as Walter Bonchamp
Sébastien Faglain as Gendarme
Tatiana Spivakova as Annie
Salomé Lopes as Young Colleague
Serge Richard as Jean-Pierre Rigal
Elio Lunetta as Kilian Rigal
