Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen (2010)
80%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 4 nominations
Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen is a film that captures the essence of a woman who was ahead of her time. While some critics may find it didactic and stilted, it is a beautifully rendered story of a 12th-century mystic who embraced faith, art, and science. Sukowa’s portrayal of Hildegard is intriguingly complex, and the film captures an austere, absorbing, and very realistic portrait of the desire for female independence. Von Trotta’s impressive lighting and design, along with striking production design and cinematography, make this period piece feel fresh and captivating. It’s not just a religious movie, but a movie about people who take religion seriously, and it’s a portrayal of an immortal spirit thriving in a unique vision. Overall, Vision is a memorable and lovely film that will leave you captivated and inspired.
Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen is like a history lesson, but with a cool teacher who makes it interesting. Sure, it’s a bit stilted and didactic, but what biopic isn’t? Plus, it’s got some seriously impressive lighting and design that makes it feel like a period piece without being boring. And let’s not forget about the badass protofeminist subject, Hildegard von Bingen, who embraced faith, art, and science. Overall, it’s a lovely and lyrical film that’s worth checking out.
Production Company(ies)
Mappa Genco
Distributor
Zeitgeist
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Kloster Eberbach, Eltville Am Rhein, Hessen, Germany
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2009
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 50m
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Language(s):German, Latin
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 2010 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 12, 2011
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Barbara Sukowa, Heino Ferch, Hannah Herzsprung, Alexander Held, Lena Stolze, Sunnyi Melles, directed by Margarethe von Trotta, written by Margarethe von Trotta, biography, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by John Anderson, Nicolas Rapold, Adam Nayman, V.A Musetto, Rene Rodriguez, Tom Long, Joanne Laurier, Yasser Medina, Mattie Lucas, Jeffrey Overstreet, Robert W Butler, MPAA rating, Markus Zimmer, produced by Zeitgeist, Benedictine nun, composer, herbalist, women’s rights, German, 12th century, mystic, visions, faith, art, science, protofeminist, religious drama, clerical politics, cloistered life, medicine, music, healing, heresy, access to knowledge, respect for the body
Worldwide gross: $5,078,060
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,018,441
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,075
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 765,370
US/Canada gross: $435,274
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $601,597
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,285
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,406
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $15,764
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,587
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Heino Ferch – Brother Volmar
Hannah Herzsprung – Richardis von Stade
Alexander Held – Abbot Kuno
Lena Stolze – Jutta
Sunnyi Melles – Richardis’ Mother
Director(s)
Margarethe von Trotta
Writer(s)
Margarethe von Trotta
Producer(s)
Markus Zimmer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (7)
It is a memorable, beautiful film.
February 17, 2015
John Anderson
America Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Vision is didactic and a bit stilted-although to be fair, so are most mainstream biopics rehashing historical events more familiar than this one, which presents its subject as a rousing protofeminist.
July 1, 2013
Nicolas Rapold
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
March 3, 2011 | Rating: 2/5
Adam Nayman
eye WEEKLY
TOP CRITIC
March 3, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
V.A. Musetto
New York Post
TOP CRITIC
March 3, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
There was obviously much to this woman, yet somehow Visions feels curiously empty feeling.
February 3, 2011 | Rating: C-
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Von Trotta’s film is competently made, with impressive lighting and design.
March 4, 2021
Joanne Laurier
World Socialist Web Site
As a religious drama, It captivates me when Von Trotta captures an austere, absorbing and very realistic portrait of the desire for female independence. [Full review in Spanish]
December 16, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
A lovely and lyrical film, and thanks to some striking production design and cinematography, it is a period piece that doesn’t feel like a period piece.
August 5, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Sukowa gives Hildegard intriguing complexity and an almost irresistible charisma … but the great [film] about this woman who embraced faith, art, and science is yet to arrive.
June 12, 2012 | Rating: B-
Jeffrey Overstreet
Response
Vision, a somber but beautifully rendered story of the life of 12th-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen, isn’t a religious movie so much as a movie about people who take religion seriously.
August 12, 2011
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star
(A) portrayal of an immortal spirit thriving in a unique vision.
May 18, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Matthew Sorrento
Film Threat…
Plot
“Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen” is a biographical drama about a gifted Benedictine nun who works to expand the status and responsibilities of women within her order, exploring her life and finding compelling modern parallels.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Barbara Sukowa gives an intriguing and complex portrayal of Hildegard von Bingen.
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