THE INNOCENTS Trailer
Returning to the bountiful setting of World War II era Europe is The Innocents, being released in a few countries under the title Agnus Dei. The latter is more indicative of its focus, following a French Red Cross doctor who must treat pregnant nuns near where she is stationed in Poland. It seems that no one was left unscathed in the war-ravaged country, hence the unwanted and potentially disastrous pregnancies that are based on real occurrences.
The trailer looks to be a pretty traditional take on the story, which could lead to it fading into the saturated WWII market, but there’s several interesting pieces here. Most prominently, this is a female-centric story about the ramifications of war told by a cadre of women. That’s still, sadly, a perspective not often seen, but the cast and crew of this film feature so many women in prominent roles that it’s almost heartening despite the grim subject matter. I mean, what do you think the ratio of male-to-female characters is in the trailer? It’s an unusual imbalance, that’s for sure.
The subject matter should also naturally lead to topics of faith and the boundaries of one’s duty, which are almost always touched upon in war films. Heavy stuff, to be sure, but ripe for re-examination if done right.
The Innocents is directed by Anne Fontaine and stars Lou de Laâge, Agata Buzek, and Agata Kulesza. It will be released in the U.S. on July 1st, 2016. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think The Innocents will distinguish itself from other WWII films? Let us know in the comments!
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