Under the Sun of Satan
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
This review is a part of the Palme d’Or Project: a review of every single Palme d’Or winner at Cannes Film Festival. Under the Sun of Satan won the thirty second Palme d’Or at the 1987 festival.
The film was selected by the following jury.
Jury President: Yves Montand.
Jury: Danièle Heymann, Elem Klimov, Gérald Calderon, Jeremy Thomas, Jerzy Skolimowski, Nicola Piovani, Norman Mailer, Theo Angelopoulos.
One of the least upheld Palme d'Or winners has to be Under the Sun of Satan by Maurice Pialat: a religious drama that features a tug-of-war of faith. The film gained notoriety for being a winner that was also booed by the Cannes audiences hence it premiered (although how uncommon is that really?), and then we haven't heard much of it since. Usually the Palme d'Or is a yardstick of legacy, but I suppose it can also flag underrated films of the past for those looking backwards (like yours truly). I had seen Under the Sun of Satan a number of years ago and remembered feeling at least a little mesmerized by the moral conflict at its core. It feels like a bridge between The Exorcist and First Reformed: both are stronger films, but I do encourage you to watch Under the Sun of Satan if the testing of one's beliefs is your kind of cinema (I suppose it's a thing).
This is an adaptation of the story by Georges Bernanos, whose work Robert Bresson also transformed into films (that's no coincidence that the lead female character in Under the Sun of Satan is named Mouchette). Bresson approaches these pieces with a bit more rawness and bare bones storytelling, but Pialat grants us something somewhat melodramatic. It's an interesting angle for a familiar voice, and I feel like it works (especially for its time period where too many films were feeling reserved and safe). Priest Donissan is already feeling conflicted about his place in the world and his worth in the eyes of God, but he meets his match with Mouchette: a teenager grasped in the claws of darkness, after accidentally killing a loved one. We are introduced to both characters apart, which creates an unmistakable juxtaposition of the tortures we face, as if our agony is predetermined. Both people long for forgiveness and comfort, but they aren't guaranteed this warmth; not under the sun of Satan.
Under the Sun of Satan is a grim look at the strength of one’s beliefs, but that’s expected with such a title.
Under the Sun of Satan is also an artistic film that's actually able to connect its aesthetics with its story, unifying the motion picture as a complete package of turmoil. Considering we are watching a young priest being pushed to his limits, this is a welcome homogenization: I felt unsettled from the get-go. This is as cold as a film can be, and maybe that's why it feels a little forgotten about. Allow this to be a refresher: Under the Sun of Satan is a nicely challenging filmic dilemma, and if any of the previous indicators seem promising to you, I would recommend watching it. I feel like those that won't like this already know to stay clear of it or maybe aren't even aware of it at all.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.