Direction: Ellie Foumbi
Country: France
Fronted by Bissau-Guinean-Belgian actress Babetida Sadjo (And Breathe Normally, 2018) and Souléymane Sy Savané (Goodbye Solo, 2008), who was born in Ivory Coast, Our Father, the Devil is an intense and keyed up drama thriller that says a lot about trauma, hatred, repent, forgiveness, and a nearly uncontrollable thirst for revenge. The feature debut from Cameroon-born, New York-based writer-director Ellie Foumbi, who gives the film a real narrative breath, is set in Luchon, a small southwestern French town located in the Pyrenees, on the border with Spain.
The plot follows Maria Cissé (Sadjo), an African refugee turned chef who got heavily traumatized at the age 12 when her Guinea village was attacked by merciless, barbaric men. One day, in a normal day at the retirement home where she's employed, a charismatic Catholic priest, Father Patrick (Savané), inspires everyone but her while talking about imperfections, atonement, and forgiveness. The problem is that she recognizes him as being one of the aggressors, and her thirst for revenge becomes bigger than anything.
Oozing some darkness, this is a well-acted film with a message that, fortunately, doesn't have to preach to be effective. Having its blind-by-rage protagonist descending to hell and coming back, the story might not affirm anything new, but forces viewers to meditate on the topic, as it is presented with an energy and conviction that questions our own responsibility to protect victims, condemn aggressors, but also give them a second chance if deserved.
Although a little cold sometimes, Our Father, the Devil imposes itself as an esteemed first work where the thought of forgiveness made me feel good.
