SOEUR SOURIRE

Category: Feature Film
Director: Stijn Coninx
Country: France
Year: 2009
Length: 124'
Production Status: completed

Summary

The end of the 1950s, on the outskirts of Brussels.

Like the rest of the young generation of the time, Jeannine Deckers has a thirst for freedom and adventure. There's no question of her following the path her parents have chosen for her - finding a husband and taking over the family bakery. She wants a different life. To move away, to meet other people.

After toying with art studies, she enters a convent. Jeannine finds out that being a Dominican nun is a difficult vocation. It requires giving up one's passions, including music. But she's not prepared to do this. The other sisters don't understand her, but with the blessing of the Mother Superior, she sticks to her dream and writes a global pop hit: Dominique.

For audiences around the world, Jeannine became "Sister Smile", also known as the Singing Nun. She was a worldwide sensation and sold millions of records, providing the only ever Belgian number-one hit in the U.S. charts. Her success was compared to that of Elvis Presley.

The film traces the unique and deeply moving story of this young girl who never gave up