Vision: From the Life of Hildegard of Bingen shows the title character practicing medicine, seeing visions, singing, teaching, challenging Church authorities, but none of her art came into the story. This probably comes from my personal bias. Thanks to a lot of my learning centering around art history, I knew her as an illustrator first. However, it did not take away from me enjoying this quiet drama.
This film lovingly testifies to the strength of Hildegard. Furthermore, actress Barbara Sukowa brings that strength. Not to mention a compassion for people who hurt themselves, whether by whip or temptations. For those wondering about the plot, the film revolves around the abbess Hildegard and her struggle for independence for her and her sisters from hypocritical male authorities. Her famed visions help her in gaining a reputation that brings in big profits from prosperous families. She also gains devoted supporters such as the priest Volmar and eager student Richardis von Stade. On Volmar, had he and Hildegard not already devoted themselves to celibacy, he would have asked her to marry him. Why? Wherever she goes, he follows.
When I watched this in the theater, I let out a nerdy gasp when they mentioned Bernard of Clairvaux. Seriously, the art history classes constantly bring him and Abbot Suger up when the subject of Medieval cathedrals. On the Richardis subplot, this film asks the question over who controls the Church, the holy authorities or the rich secular families? This comes up when Richardis has to leave Hildegard to take on the duties of the abbess herself. On the other hand, the story depicts loyal Richardis as a mere tool of her family’s ambition. Finally, the famed visions. Compared to the grandeur of Hildegard’s descriptions, the director depicts the visions with a low-key execution. The most elaborate vision comes at the beginning with Hildegard seeing the sun into an eye (I think she saw an eye).
My verdict? Vision makes for an inspiring and enjoyable watch.
Art History Ramblings 
[…] watched Vision and read Hildegard’s own words, one cannot help but contemplate where Hildegard stood on the […]