Watch I Always Wanted to Be a Saint

I Always Wanted to Be a Saint is a French drama film released in 2003 directed by Geneviève Mersch and starring Marie Kremer, Thierry Lefevre, and Jeannine Godinas. The film was premiered at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. The story follows a young girl, Camille (Marie Kremer), who has grown up in a small town in the Belgian countryside in the 1960s. She is raised by her religious grandmother, who tries to instill the values of her faith in her granddaughter. However, Camille is always curious and fascinated by the outside world, and as she grows up, she starts to question her religious beliefs.

The movie opens with a scene at the church where the young Camille and her grandmother are attending Mass. Camille's grandmother is very devout, and Camille seems to follow her lead, but as she matures, she realizes that her heart is not truly in it. She is a curious child, interested in the world around her beyond the confines of her small community. She finds solace in reading books about saints and religious figures, particularly those who lived lives of self-sacrifice.

As she grows into a young woman, Camille continues to struggle with her faith. She feels a strong pull towards the world outside her home town, but at the same time, she feels a sense of responsibility towards her grandmother, who wants her to become a nun. However, Camille finds that she cannot reconcile her desire to be free with the restrictive and monastic life that a nun would lead.

She begins to explore new adventures in the city with her friend, Laurent (Thierry Lefevre), who is studying to be a doctor. Together, they embark on a journey of discovery that will test their friendship and their view of the world. They meet other young people who are exploring their own paths, and Camille is drawn to their sense of freedom and independence.

At the same time, Camille is haunted by visions of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a French saint who also struggled with her faith. Camille sees St. Thérèse as a symbol of her own struggle, but she does not know how to reconcile her doubts with her desire to connect with her faith on a deeper level.

Throughout the film, Camille's journey is shown in a series of flashbacks and memories. The story is presented as a series of vignettes, each representing a different moment in Camille's life. The film is beautifully shot, with a lush, cinematic quality that captures the beauty of the Belgian countryside and the gritty reality of life in the city.

In the end, Camille finds a way to reconcile her faith with her desire for freedom. She comes to understand that one can be a saint in the world, rather than living a life of complete self-denial. She learns that the world and its people can be beautiful, and that there is a place for her in it.

I Always Wanted to Be a Saint is a thought-provoking and moving film that explores topics of faith, freedom, and human connection. The performances of the lead actors are strong, and the cinematography is stunning. The film strikes a delicate balance between the themes of religion and personal discovery and celebrates the beauty of both.

I Always Wanted to Be a Saint is a 2003 foreign movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.2.