The Passion of Joan of Arc

The film focuses on the last moments of the life of the French national heroine Joan of Arc (played by Maria Falconetti), recreating the entire process from trial to death in English prisons and courts after she was betrayed into the hands of the Burgundian rebels. The Catholic Church, which was tightly controlled by the English authorities, accused Joan of Arc of being a heretic and a witch. In court, the judge even fabricated evidence and continued to torture her mentally and physically over issues of faith. Faced with inhumane torture and false accusations, Joan of Arc remained upright and unyielding. Finally, Joan of Arc was taken to the square of Rouen and burned alive at the stake. The Passion of Joan of Arc, directed and shot by the great film master Carl Theodore Dreyer, is known as one of the ten best films in the world. The film uses a powerful artistic expression to recreate the last moments of the short life of this national hero who was tortured by the Catholic Church and the British occupying forces.