Chichester Cinema at New Park
Viridiana
Viridiana, a young nun about to take her final vows, pays a visit to her widowed uncle at the request of her Mother Superior in Bunuel’s blasphemous satire.
Moved purely by a sense of obligation, Viridiana(Silvia Pinal)does so. Her uncle (Fernando Rey) is moved by her resemblance to his late wife to attempt to seduce Viridiana, and tragedy ensues. In the aftermath, Viridiana tries to assuage her guilt by creating a haven for the destitute folk who live around her uncle's estate.
This is one the most memorable films made by Luis Bunuel, and the most controversial in this season challenging the hypocrisy of organised religion. It’s a shocking attack on the Catholic Church and Spain.
There is a kind of dream-like boldness to a lot of the narrative, an electric passage between images. Bunuel connects the audience to more earthy, pragmatic drives throwing off the hypocrisy of organized religion in the process, due to it being out of touch with our needs. It explores the theme of the naivety of do-gooding vs the reality of human nature, greed and selfishness. The parody of the Last Supper and Viridiana’s rape by a beggarly Christ are unforgettable.
Even more subversive is her new secular role in a menage-a-trois in a final game of cards. Bunuel is saying that while Viridiana or the Church or Governments may have the best intentions they are inevitably doomed to failure because life and the world is ultimately chaotic. An all time masterwork.(subtitles)
Part of the SPIRITUAL CINEMA SEASON
Spain · 
Mexico · 1961 · Luis Bunuel · 90min
