The Abyss (1988) André Delvaux, Gian Maria Volontè, Sami Frey, Jacques Lippe

L'oeuvre au noir / L'opera al nero - by André Delvaux (1988)

In the sixteenth century, Spain occupies Flanders, an Inquisition enforces the faith. Aging writer and philosopher, Zénon Ligre, comes to Bruges using a false name and papers to serve as a physician to the poor, establishing a clinic and steam bath. His methods and opinions are outside the mainstream, but he has the protection and friendship of the local Prior. Zénon, an aristocrat with a degree in canon law, lives humbly. He learns of bacchanals under Masonic signs involving monks and women, and he warns those involved. The Prior is dying, and he urges Zénon to flee to England. Zénon burns his writing. Will he leave or will he face ecclesiastical accusers and, perhaps, the stake?

Le mariage à trois - by Jacques Doillon (2010)

Auguste is a 50-something playwright who is having difficulty completing his latest play. To facilitate his work, he invites the two actors who are to star in his play to his house in the country. To complicate matters, one of the actors is his ex-wife Harriet, and the other is her current boyfriend Théo. Although Auguste still has intense feelings for Harriet, he has begun to fall in love with Fanny, a young student who is living with him and helping him with his play. But Fanny shows little sign of being interested in Auguste, and she appears to find Théo a more interesting proposition…

1970's Italy. While an unnamed epidemic is killing the nation's citizens, Italian politicians enter a secret underground religious retreat, under the guidance of maverick priest Don Gaetano. Amongst vicious infighting, one by one, the politicians begin dying.