The Vow

1818 in the Münsterland: Innumerable pilgrims seeking comfort and consolation visit the bedside of Anna Katharina von Emmerich, a nun whose body bears marks of the holy wounds of Christ on her chest, forehead and hands. Clemens von Brentano, an artist in his prime, visits the nun′s sickbed as a simple "writer of the wonders of God" to take down her visions and beliefs. He believes himself to be in charge of his life as a devout Catholic. The former rake′s encounter with the charismatic nun proves fateful, however. For both of them.

The screenplay is based on the novel "Das Gelübde" ("The Vow") by Kai Meyer and on written records about occurrences in the year 1818 in the town of Dülmen, Westphalia. The film takes us back on a journey to the early 19th century, employing moments of historic reality and interweaving them with fantastic elements. Anna Katharina Emmerich was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Rome on October 3, 2004.

Source: 58. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)