A moving spiritual masterpiece that shows the true meaning of divinity in a hostile world A young, shy, sickly priest is assigned to his first parish, a sleepy village in northern France. Though his faith is devout, he finds nothing but indifference and mockery. The children laugh at his teachings, his parishioners are consumed by boredom, rumours are spread about him and he is tormented by stomach pains. Even his attempts to clarify his thoughts in a diary fail to deliver him from worldly concerns. Yet somehow, despite his suffering, he tries to find love for his fellow humans, and even a state of grace. Translated by Howard Curtis

In this classic Catholic novel, Bernanos movingly recounts the life of a young French country priest who grows to understand his provincial parish while learning spiritual humility himself. Awarded the Grand Prix for Literature by the Academie Fran�aise, The Diary of a Country Priest was adapted into an acclaimed film by Robert Bresson. "A book of the utmost sensitiveness and compassion... it is a work of deep, subtle and singularly encompassing art." - New York Times Book Review

'The Films of Robert Bresson: A Casebook' presents an outstanding collection of essays and interviews with this legendary auteur, many of which were written by renowned directors and critics, including Jean-Luc Godard, Susan Sontag, and Francois Truffaut.

An examination of the French director's vision and style.

Includes an introduction for each writing, suggested grade levels, related themes, review questions and answers, suggested activities, and discussion ideas.

Perhaps the most highly regarded French filmmaker after Jean Renoir, Robert Bresson created a new kind of cinema through meticulous refinement of the form's grammatical and expressive possibilities. In thirteen features over a forty-year career, he held to an uncompromising moral vision and aesthetic rigor that remain unmatched. Robert Bresson: A Passion for Film is the first comprehensive study to give equal attention to the films, their literary sources, and psycho-biographical aspects of the work. Concentrating on the films' cinematographic, imagistic, narrative, and thematic structures, Pipolo provides a nuanced analysis of each film-including nearly 100 illustrations-elucidating Bresson's unique style as it evolved from the impassioned Les Anges du péche to such disconsolate meditations on the world as The Devil Probably and L'Argent. Special attention is also given to psychosexual aspects of the films that are usually neglected. Bresson has long needed a thoroughgoing treatment by a critic worthy to the task: he gets it here. From it emerges a provocative portrait of an extraordinary artist whose moral engagement and devotion to the craft of filmmaking are without equal.

Americans currently spend on average more than ten hours a day in front of a screen. Some of that time can now be a source of profound ethical reflections and spiritual insights thanks to this refreshing book. The primary goal of Lights in the Darkness is to explore the themes of grace, redemption, pilgrimage, conscience, justice, faith and reason, the common good, sacramentality, and wisdom in twelve award-winning films. In addition to unpacking these themes, each chapter provides background information on the relevant historical moment and explores the development of the film. Questions at the end of each chapter helps to connect the themes in each film to the lives of the reader. Film is a powerful and unique artistic medium and now you have a resource to connect its wonders to your faith by reading this book and watching these films.