Jesus You Know

Directed by Ulrich Seidl

More immediately recognisable as a documentary than some of his earlier work, Seidl employs the intimacy of prayer as an entry point into revealing the everyday complaints and deepest secrets of his subjects. Set up in Viennese Catholic churches, the camera observes six figures as they beseech Jesus as a best friend, therapist and fortune teller, offering intimate details that range from the mundane to the shocking. As usual, Seidl’s gaze keeps a clinical distance, making us interrogate our own reaction to these people who, upon reflection, are perhaps more familiar than we’d like to admit.

Duration:
87 minutes

Languages:
German

Country of origin:
Austria

Year of production:
2004