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Stations of the Cross

Play trailer Poster for Stations of the Cross 2014 1h 47m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Maria, a devout 14-year-old Roman Catholic, goes through all 14 stations of the cross to become a saint and go to heaven.
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Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross

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Critics Consensus

A drama of thought-provoking depth as well as a showcase for newcomer Lea van Acken, Stations of the Cross hits hard and leaves a lingering impact.

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Critics Reviews

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Jessica Kiang The Playlist 07/11/2015
C
While the film's craftsmanship and experimental form go some way toward mitigating the convenient plotting and confused point of view, wrapping the whole in craw-sticking sanctimony is a sin too far for forgiveness. Go to Full Review
Brian Tallerico RogerEbert.com 07/10/2015
3/4
In the end, the formalism of "Stations of the Cross" wouldn't work at all without the work of van Acken, a very talented young lady who's not only in every scene, she's often all there is to every scene. Go to Full Review
Stephen Holden New York Times 07/09/2015
An austere, beautifully filmed and powerfully acted portrait of extreme religious fervor that slyly flirts with comedy. Go to Full Review
Matthew Turner VODzilla.co 05/11/2022
8/10
A strikingly directed and superbly acted drama that’s by turns disturbing and genuinely moving. Go to Full Review
Michael J. Casey Michael J. Cinema 10/22/2021
4/5
A work of art striving to depict divinity. It almost reaches it. Go to Full Review
Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 10/20/2020
3/5
Newcomer Lea van Acken is quite the discovery here, and despite the rather detached impression given, she manages to transform the film into an emotionally effective property transcending its sense of parable. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Tom Y Aug 19 The first part of the movie was absolutely mesmerizing with regard to the classroom. Really got me to think. But then when mom entered in, I saw the devil incarnate, as it were, deplorable with all the bullying. I nearly gagged, and almost went running out of the house shrieking. After finally settling back down, I turned it on again, no volume, only subtitles. And then I saw it. The titles of each section were so deep I really had to keep my thinking cap on. As the movie progressed (or should I say digressed), the bullying continued in both direct and indirect ways. What should killer! This is what made the movie so special. She followed in Jesus' steps every step of the way. As Jesus, she responded so beautifully to the bullied degradation. And what of her mother? You'll be awed by the conclusion. See more 03/24/2022 I can only watch the first two or three sections of this film because I found the subject matter so depressing. It's a very interesting idea for a film, though, and I may revisit it at some point. Meanwhile, I'd prefer to commemorate Easter this year with a more positive message. See more dave s 07/05/2021 Mirroring Christ's journey to his crucifixion, Stations of the Cross tells the story of Maria (Lea Van Acklen), a young teenager drawn into the life of strict Catholicism by her overzealous mother, a woman who sees danger in anything that does not conform to her narrow-minded belief system. Director Dietrich Bruggemann adopts an Ozu-like style, using only fourteen shots over the course of the film, all but two of them static for the duration of the scene. Thanks to an insightful script, subdued but effective acting, and remarkably well blocked shots, the movie is a powerful and damning indictment of the power and danger of blind faith. See more 12/27/2019 Very few of the reviews came close to understanding the import of this film. Without reading what Dietrich Brüggemann and his sister Anna have to say about the film, it's impossible to work out whether the miraculous cure of the heroine's brother was written in to add a layer of spurious complexity and add a trompe l'œile impression of depth, or whether Anna and Dietrich fully understood their own script. I would opt for the former, but in that case, the film has overtaken its makers, and stands as a counter-cultural monument to a disintegrating Germany and Western Europe generally. Most critics, predictably, looked at the window and saw only their own reflection. And that, also, is the story of the modern West. This is a must-watch movie. See more 09/03/2019 Minimal direction perfectly suited to this beautifully acted and scripted film. See more 02/01/2017 Very bleak film about religious extremism. Beautifully filmed, but I found it ultimately unsatisfying. See more Read all reviews
Stations of the Cross

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Movie Info

Synopsis Maria, a devout 14-year-old Roman Catholic, goes through all 14 stations of the cross to become a saint and go to heaven.
Director
Dietrich Brüggemann
Producer
Leif Alexis, Fabian Maubach
Screenwriter
Anna Brüggemann, Dietrich Brüggemann
Production Co
Arte, UFA Fiction, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen
Genre
Drama
Original Language
German
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 4, 2016
Runtime
1h 47m
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