Viridiana. 1961. Spain. Directed by Luis Buñuel. Screenplay by Buñuel, Julio Alejandro. With Silvia Pinal, Francisco Rabal, Fernando Rey. 35mm. In Spanish; English subtitles. 91 min.
In one of Buñuel’s iconic masterpieces, a novice nun’s efforts to provide sanctuary for the less fortunate on her wealthy uncle’s estate brings her in contact with the corrosive realities of poverty and the perils of sexual desire. “Along with Nazarin, this is Buñuel’s indictment of the condescension of charity. In both works, Buñuel creates Sadean parables about impossibly altruistic souls interacting tragically with a world full of appetite and impulse” (Guillermo del Toro).