Our Father, the Devil

2021 [FRENCH]

Thriller

3
IMDb Rating 6.9/10 10 521 521

Plot summary

An African refugee's quiet existence in a sleepy mountain town in the south of France is upended by the arrival of a charismatic Catholic priest, whom she recognizes as the warlord who slaughtered her family.

Director

Ellie Foumbi Photo
Ellie Foumbi

Top cast

Hiba el Aflahi Photo
Hiba el Aflahi as Leila Abergel
Franck Saurel Photo
Franck Saurel as Arnaud Charpentier
Maëlle Genet Photo
Maëlle Genet as Sabine Leplanche
Jennifer Tchiakpe Photo
Jennifer Tchiakpe as Nadia Benoit
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
1002.56 MB
1280*536
French 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 49 min
Seeds ...
2.01 GB
1920*804
French 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 49 min
Seeds 1

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by gortx

Searing moral drama

Nominated for Best Film at last year's Spirit Awards. Ellie Foumbi's searing French movie OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL centers on Marie (Babetida Sadjo), an immigrant from Guinea, who seems to be doing fine as the head chef of a Nursing home. That is, until a new priest, Father Patrick (Souleymane Sy Savane) starts preaching at the facility. Marie immediately has a physical reaction to his presence. She's convinced he's an evil criminal from her homeland.Foumbi's feature isn't a whodunit, nor a crime film, it's an exploration of the soul. Once Marie and the Father engage, it becomes a battle of not only wills, but of ethics and morality. When is one's pursuit of justice veer into revenge? Can there ever be redemption no matter how heinous one's past is alleged to have been?Sadjo and Savane are quite strong as the dueling protagonists, with solid support from Jennifer Tchiakpe and Maëlle Genet. Foumbi's script occasionally becomes too consciously conventional in its telling, but the last act becomes intensely focused and gruelingly intense. A disturbingly serene ambiance makes it all more powerful. Without showing a single moment of actual military action, OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL reveals the grim toll of a civil war.
Reviewed by billcr12 8 / 10

Redemption??

The IMDB summary pretty much gives away the storyline and is close to a spoiler. Marie, played by the superb actress, Babetida Sadjo, works in a Catholic nursing home where a priest arrives, causing her to remember some nasty events from childhood. Father Patrick gives uplifting sermons to the residents of the home.Marie then recalls a past involving warlords who destroyed a village and killed most of the adults, including her mother and father. The holy man might have some explaining to do regarding what he was up to before joining the flock.What follows is a serious look at the meaning of forgiveness and redemption, a major tenet of the Catholic church. I have not been to Confession for a long, long time but being raised in the faith gave me a greater appreciation for this film.
Reviewed by invisiblephrend 9 / 10

Powerful

I can't say much more than other reviewers have already covered on this film. The acting is superb and the story is an engaging slow burn. If you're expecting a Tarantino style revenge flick that's loaded with over-the-top gore, this is not one of those films. It focuses moreso on the deeply embedded struggles of people who suffer through extreme levels of trauma and the need to heal from their past.The main focus of the film centers around moral ambiguity and begs the question: can people who have done terrible things be redeemed? Is revenge the solution that will heal your troubled mind or make it worse? The film does an incredible job of not only empathizing with all parties involved and keeps you guessing what happens next. The only divisive thing I found about this film is the ending, which you may or may not like. I found it to be a bit too cliché (pun intended for French film lol), but still highly recommended!
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