Jesus, You Know
( Jesus, du weisst )

Ulrich Seidl
2003 - 87 min - Betacam - Couleur - Autriche

Six Christians of different ages, sexes and social classes go regularly to church, where they confess, repent, pray, give grace and sing hymns. They all talk with Jesus, make requests to him, express their doubts to him, and confide their existence in him. For each of them, he incarnates the ideal of the father, the lover, the good counsellor, the mute confidant, the guide, and so on. They all talk to the camera, too. Ulrich Seidl, a film-maker known for his uncompromising descriptions of modern Austria, took up the challenge of recording answers to questions that are never asked, doing an "interview" in the context of the confessional, and transforming this one-way conversation into a prayer facing towards the film’s viewers.