STATIONS OF THE CROSS (KREUZWEG) World Cinema

STATIONS OF THE CROSS is meticulously composed in 14 scenes, each masterfully unfolding via a single long take and all inspired by the classic Roman Catholic depictions of Christ carrying the cross to his crucifixion. Director Dietrich Brüggemann brings to life the story of Maria, a 14-year-old girl caught between the secular world she faces every day and the strict religious teachings of her priest and her mother. Surrounded by daily temptation, moral crises and the vigilant quest to maintain a path of righteousness, Maria’s internal struggles and outward pressures build toward a powerful and quietly rapturous conclusion. Offering no easy answers to complex questions, Brüggemann’s film captures Maria’s private moments with scope and grace, while framing them against the contradictions of her environments and her beliefs.