Lourdes tracks the pilgrimage of wheelchair-bound Christine (Sylvie Testud) to the titular holy town in the south-west of France, accompanied by a disparate group of both sick and healthy. Not of particularly strong faith herself, she sees the trip as a way to escape the solitude and boredom of her day-to-day life, struggling with feelings of uselessness and the frightening thought that her life is just passing her by. When her designated volunteer from the Order of Malta (the young, carefree Maria) proves unreliable, Christine befriends the elderly Madame Harti who in turn prays for her recovery.

As the group visit assorted holy sites and take baths in the holy water, they witness the constant procession of those looking for spiritual and mental healing. One day however, it seems Christine's prayers have been answered - she's gradually able to lift her hand, then arm, and finally to stand and walk. This miraculous recovery is met with both celebration and envy, but allows her to pursue the young soldier she's taken a shine to. Becoming more confident and excited by the opportunities apparently ahead of her, the fear of a relapse is never far away, with medical exams positing an extremely "unusual" recovery.

Jessica Hausner's 4th feature casts a sceptical eye over the commercial excesses of Lourdes but neither chastises nor mocks those who make the pilgrimage there. With wry humour she presents us with a disparate flock in need of help, but provided with no answers. There's a careful avoidance of the supernatural and events take place with an almost documentary-like veracity. There's little suggestion or evidence on display for a celestial being and even when the apparently miraculous does occur, there's no halo of light or voice from above. It just happens. Similarly we're presented with no reason why some are healed and others not - the ways of God are mysterious indeed. So mysterious in fact that throughout the film, various religious figures are able to provide only the most cryptic and obtuse answers when quizzed by the pilgrims on a range of familiar theological concerns (is God all powerful, or benevolent, or both?). Faith it seems is the key, but why then are regular visitors not prioritized over first timers, as one curious visitor asks the father. Circular arguments lead nowhere, and significance or meaning in the occurrence of 'miracles' is as elusive as the acts themselves. Some see them everywhere, whilst others refuse their presence regardless.

Throughout there's a creeping sense of dread as the desperate, the hopeful and the curious lay themselves open at the mercy of this, perhaps the most commodified interpretation of religion. With our visitors vying for "Pilgrim of the Year" there's an inherent cruelty to the proceedings, despite the goodwill of those involved. False hope or legitimate, cathartic exercise in prayer?

Lourdes is a slow burner, with a measured pace and subtle but razor sharp observations. Important events happen with little fanfare, and the moving final shots prove more emotionally wrenching than the understated build-up would imply. Sylvie Testud's remarkable performance in the lead role is compelling and tender, eliciting a genuine wish for things to work out well for her, not out of pity, but out of affection. Acting with only her head for the majority of the film, she quickly draws us in, with a dignified and moving performance that acknowledges the pains of her position without resorting to martyr status.

Despite the subject matter, Lourdes is anything but a dour religious tract, and is shot through with restrained humour and compassion that belies its gentle pace.

Lourdes is out in the UK on 26th March, but can also be seen at this year's Glasgow International Film Festival on 24th Feb - you can book tickets here.