Rendering the Innocuous Hostile: Architectural Composition in Robert Bresson’s Diary of a Country Priest (1951)

Rendering the Innocuous Hostile was an Illustrated Film Essay I wrote in 2021 for my ARC451 (Film and Architecture) class at UofT. In it I analyze the filmic compositions of architectural features, and how these frame the Priest character to create a sense of imprisonment directly related to Robert Bresson’s experiences as a prisoner of war during the second world war. The use of on location filming, ‘prison compositions’ and imposing architecture all lend to feelings of constrictions which are only relieved in the narrative when the Priest character forgoes their physical body toward spiritual transcendence. This is accompanied by diagrams of the Priest’s room, and living space, as well as specific frames from the film. I hope you enjoy the essay.