The Man Who Was Thursday

Inspired by G.K. Chesterton's existentialist 1908 novel of the same name, the film delivers metaphysical thrills as disgraced clergyman Father Smith (François Arnaud) is called to Rome for spiritual rehabilitation after a moment of disgrace, but finds himself asked to go underground and find the mysterious leader of an anarchist group. Temptation comes in the form of an enigmatic and sensual woman (Ana Ularu, whose film Index Zero screened at last year's EIFF) as the story lurches into the unexpected. (Edinburgh International Film Festival)