La vie de Jésus

With his stunning debut feature, the risk-taking auteur Bruno Dumont immediately established his reputation as an uncompromising iconoclast on the cutting edge of French cinema. Blending unflinching realism with moments of startling, light-filled beauty, La vie de Jésus finds unexpected philosophical richness in the quotidian, small-town existence of Freddy (nonprofessional David Douche in a revelatory, one-off performance), an aimless young man with epilepsy who, in his childlike simplicity, embodies both great tenderness and terrifying brutality. Leaving the film’s cryptic title tantalizingly open to interpretation, Dumont dares viewers to see the divine in a seemingly dead-end world.

France
1997
96 minutes
Color
2.35:1
French
Spine #980

Special Features

Director-Approved Special Edition Features

New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Bruno Dumont, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New interview with Dumont
Conversation between Dumont and critic Philippe Rouyer from 2014
Excerpts from two 1997 episodes of the French television program Le cercle de minuit
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by critic Nicholas Elliott

New cover by Vivienne Flesher

Blu‑ray 1 Disc $27.96 SRP: $39.95

DVD 1 Disc $20.96 SRP: $29.95

Director-Approved Special Edition Features

New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Bruno Dumont, with uncompressed stereo soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New interview with Dumont
Conversation between Dumont and critic Philippe Rouyer from 2014
Excerpts from two 1997 episodes of the French television program Le cercle de minuit
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by critic Nicholas Elliott

New cover by Vivienne Flesher

Cast & Credits