There's a fine line between searing seriousness and po-faced self-parody, and Under the Sun of Satan walks it bravely, turning Depardieu into a vessel for pious pessimism opposite Sandrine Bonnaire...

Pialat's treatment does seem to belong to another period of filmmaking, where subject matters such as these where more readily acceptable, from European masters like Bunuel and Bresson. But revisiting it now reveals it to be an unsung arthouse masterwork.

A drama that addresses interesting concepts about asceticism, theology and the moral decline of the faith, but somehow its narrative lacks emotional strength with the journey of the tormented priest. [Full review in Spanish]

A film that glazes the eyes and numbs the mind despite its ravishing beauty.