Paradise: Faith

Paradise: Faith
File:Paradise Faith.jpg Film poster
Directed by	Ulrich Seidl
Written by	Ulrich Seidl Veronika Franz
Starring	Maria Hofstätter
Release dates	30 August 2012 (2012-08-30) (Venice)
Running time	113 minutes
Country	Austria
Language	German

Paradise: Faith (German: Paradies: Glaube) is a 2012 Austrian drama film directed by Ulrich Seidl, the second in his Paradise trilogy. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize. It won the award for best sound design at the 26th European Film Awards.

The film has been named as a favourite of director John Waters, who presented the film as his annual pick within the Maryland Film Festival 2013.

Plot

Anna Maria (Maria Hofstätter) is a middle-aged Austrian woman who lives alone in a well-knitted house in Vienna. When she doesn't work in the hospital then she clean her house thoroughly. But she doesn't feel alone; she has Jesus; she loves Jesus; This unconditional love to god, empowers her to overcome the temptations of her flesh, by praying and by using methodically all sort of self- punishments.

But she is not alone in her quest; she is member of a small ultra-religious group which tries to bring back the Catholic faith to Austria; when she takes a break from her work instead of going to vacations, she tries door to door, to bring God to the poor neighborhoods, which are occupied mostly by immigrants.

Although her faith is strong, it is going to be challenged not only by the various reactions of the people that she tries to approach, but also back home, where her past is vividly back. Her crippled Muslim husband is back and demands a share of her love, who offers gladly only to Jesus.

Cast

• Maria Hofstätter as Anna Maria
• Nabil Saleh as Nabil
• Natalya Baranova as Natalya
• Rene Rupnik as Herr Rupnik

External links

• Paradise: Faith at IMDb
• Paradise: Faith at the Austrian Film Institute