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A new documentary on the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is coming to 700 theaters in the US on February 8 and 9, just days before the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Simply titled Lourdes, this documentary promises to be unique in its view of the storied French shrine, because it is the first film to place the focus firmly on the faithful who visit the site on pilgrimage.
There is no shortage of media and documentaries that explore the miraculous happenings at Lourdes. In fact, Aleteia recently reported on a 60 Minutes episode that examined the 70th officially recognized miracle at Lourdes. While these reports tend to emphasize the miracles, Lourdes will shine a light on the pilgrims who seek them.
According to Fathom Events, the documentary will follow six “fragile pilgrims” as they travel to and visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. These individuals and their caregivers come from all walks of life and each has a compelling reason to hope for divine intervention to change their circumstances. From chronic illness to injury by accident and even a bullied teen, the pilgrim’s faith shines brightly from behind a veil of tribulation.
In the press release, the directors Thierry Demaizère and Alban Teurlai explained that they were inspired to start the project after hearing the accounts of a mutual friend who had made the pilgrimage themselves.
“To our great surprise, there has not been a film made about the pilgrims, nothing that follows their steps–why they come, what they expect, what Our Lady represents for them,” observed Demaizère and Teurlai. "We knew immediately that this was a story that needed to be told and can't wait for people to see it in theaters."
Along with the powerful testimonies of these real pilgrims and beautiful cinematography of the shrine, the film will feature bonus content that is exclusive to the theatrical release. In this bonus material, President of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, takes viewers through the process of medically analyzing suspected miracles observed in pilgrims who have drank or washed in the waters of Lourdes.
“While only 70 cases to date have been declared miraculous by the Church, more than 7,000 cases of unexplained cures have been investigated medically and scientifically. There is a vulnerable human person behind every one of these cases, and Lourdes fixes its gaze at some of these remarkable stories,” noted Dr. de Franciscis. “In the face of such suffering in terms of sickness, handicap, and deformity, audiences will see that there is also joy. The liturgies and daily processions at Lourdes are signs of this and of our communion as Catholics, as disciples of Jesus and common sons and daughters of his Mother.”
This compelling documentary, which earned Best Documentary nominations at both the César Awards of the French Film Academy and at the prestigious DOCVILLE Awards, is only in theaters for two days, so tickets are limited. Visit Fathom Events to find a participating theater near you and secure your tickets today.
