Miséricorde (1994) (TV)

*SPOILERS*
In the sixties, Marie, a girl studying in a catholic school, is very fond of a nun teacher, who instills religious inclinations in her. One day the local priest, after hearing her confession, summons her to his house. When she is there he tries to make sexual advances on her, but she flees. She grows up and decides to become a nun because Jesus "is the most perfect of men", as her old teacher used to say. Her father is sad with the idea; he is not very fond of the Church. She joins the carolians (sorry if this the wrong word). Her convent is run by a stern and intolerant mother superior. Marie makes friends with Edith, who became a nun against her will, because she is poor and her mother is a devout catholic. The mother superior constantly accuses Marie of pride. Marie becomes a teacher and is loved by her students. One day Marie and Edith make a trip to the seaside to do some work there and over there Marie reencounters her old teacher of whom she was fond as a child. They get acquainted with a fisherman who becomes very lusty toward Marie (he does not know they are nuns). She rejects his advances. One evening Edith goes out to fetch something in the market and runs into the fisherman, who invites her to his boat. There they have sex. Marie goes out to look for Edith and witnesses her having sex. She becomes hostile toward Edith, who is mixed up and remorseful over her act. They decide to return to the convent. Edith becomes increasingly withdrawn and begins to lose her sanity. Marie starts doing volunteer work in a seedy side of town, and gets acquainted with a young layman who also does volunteer work; he falls in love with her. They start seeing each other, and Marie has doubts about her religious career. Edith becomes increasingly worse and one day throws herself from an upper balcony, killing herself. Marie quits the order, and marries her boyfriend. A final caption explains that her marriage lasted three years and they had no kids. Marie became a lay charity worker in China or one of those places.

Well-made yet predictable drama about modern nuns.

Rating: 50