1st full-length feature by the self-described Christian-atheist, it was made in occupied France after Bresson had done a year in a prison camp. There''s nothing ostentatious i his style. It''s sparse, no flashy camera-acrobatics or editing tricks. I always feel the best directors are those whose work you hardly notice. The story is set in a convent, Sisters of Bethany, it''s purpose is to help women in prison rehabilitate. In it we find Anne-Marie, a somewhat proud & middle-class woman who comes to logger-heads w/Mother Superior & this leads to problems. Along the way she connects w/one of the more recalcitrant prisoners & recognizes her pain & need to be reached out to. Upon release the prisoner returns to join the convent under suspicious circumstances. What we have is a contrast in characters who come to the convent for different reasons & an exploration into spiritual matters. Well worth watching... ...