Black Robe (1991)

Directed by

Bruce Beresford

Genre

drama film

Country

Australia, Canada

Runtime

1h 40m

Rated

R

Rating

6.5 of 10 from 121 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

In the 1600s, a Jesuit priest called Black Robe by the Algonquins travels through the Canadian wilderness to reach a remote mission. He and his guides face harsh conditions, disease, and the threat of attacks from enemy tribes.

austerebleakslow-burnvisceralmeditativegrittyharrowingimmersive

What happens

Black Robe is a 1991 historical drama film directed by Bruce Beresford, adapted by Brian Moore from his 1985 novel of the same name. Set in the 17th century, it depicts the adventures of a Jesuit missionary tasked with founding a mission in New France. To do so, he must traverse 2,400 km of harsh wilderness with the help of a group of Algonquins, facing danger from both the unfamiliar environment and rival tribes. The title refers to the nickname given to the Jesuits by the Algonquins, referring to his black cassock. The film stars Lothaire Bluteau in the title role, with other cast members: Aden Young, Sandrine Holt, Tantoo Cardinal, August Schellenberg, Gordon Tootoosis and Raoul Trujillo. It was the first official co-production between a Canadian film team and an Australian one. It was shot mostly in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was Young and Holt's film debut. Black Robe premiered at the 1991 Toronto International Film Festival and was given a wide release on 6 October, becoming the highest-grossing Canadian film of 1991. It received generally positive reviews and won several accolades. It was nominated for ten Genie Awards and won six, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director (Beresford), Best Adapted Screenplay (Moore) and Best Supporting Actor (Schellenberg). It was also nominated for ten AACTA Awards, with Peter James winning Best Cinematography. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

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• Clearcut (1991)
• The Mission (1986)
• Love-Moi (1991)
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• Conspiracy of Silence (1991)
• At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)
• Windigo (1994)