“The Innocents” begins at the end of World War II in Poland, December 1945. Serene, austere Benedictine nuns sing sweetly in the quiet stillness of morning—until a piercing scream echoes through the stone hallways, sending a chill. Turns out, it’s coming from an extremely pregnant, young nun who’s on the verge of giving birth—and she’s not alone.
One of the more daring sisters dashes into town to fetch a doctor, trekking through forest trails and war-torn streets, and the dusting of snow that accumulates on the hem of her habit leaves a vivid impression of cold and isolation. The no-nonsense Mathilde Beaulieu of the French Red Cross (de Laâge) initially is reluctant to leave her busy post to help. But once she arrives at the convent, she’s shocked to discover that at least a half-dozen young nuns also are in advanced stages of pregnancy.
As the Reverend Mother (Kulesza) and her right-hand woman Maria (Buzek) matter-of-factly explain it, Soviet soldiers invaded the convent and repeatedly raped the women as the war was ending. They can hide their bulging bellies under their robes, but only for so long. Reverend Mother views these pregnancies as a source of great shame and seems far less concerned about the psychological trauma these women must be experiencing. As she grudgingly agrees to let Mathilde assist with the deliveries and after care, she insists the births must remain a secret, and promises to arrange adoptive homes for all the newborns immediately.
Fontaine explores this fraught situation from every angle and with great humanity. Mathilde, for starters, is a stoic non-believer. She is all business—the voice of reason in a place of sacred mystery. And while she initially accepts the sisters’ blessings and prayers politely, she eventually opens herself up to the powerful role faith plays in their lives. When de Laâge smiles or cries even slightly, it’s a revelation, and the vaguely romantic relationship that develops between her and a smart, self-deprecating fellow physician (a heartbreaking Vincent Macaigne) allows her a few stolen moments of much-needed joy.
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