Viridiana (1961)
(Luis Buñuel, Spain/Mexico 1961, 90 min., 35mm, Spanish w/subtitles)
Director Luis Buñuel was a master provocateur, and his award-winning Viridiana is no exception. An innocent and philanthropic novice nun (Silvia Pinal) goes to visit her uncle (Fernando Rey) on his farm before taking her final vows. But the uncle’s obsession with his beautiful niece precipitates a bizarre series of events that culminate in a free-for-all beggars banquet. After accepting Franco’s invitation to return to Spain, Buñuel crafted a film that cunningly takes a belly stab at the hypocrisies of the nation’s church and state. Ultimately banned by the Spanish government, the film nonetheless remains a powerful document about the rich, religion, and responsibility.