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The Abyss
The Abyss
	Film poster
Directed by	André Delvaux
Written by	André Delvaux; Marguerite Yourcenar
Produced by	Jean-Claude Batz; Philippe Dussart
Starring	Gian Maria Volonté
Cinematography	Charles Van Damme
Edited by	Albert Jurgenson
Music by	Frédéric Devreese
Release date	13 May 1988;
Running time	110 minutes
Countries	France; Belgium
Language	French

The Abyss (French: L'Œuvre au noir) is a 1988 drama film directed by André Delvaux. It was entered into the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.^[1] It is based on the novel of the same name by Marguerite Yourcenar. The film received the André Cavens Award for Best Film by the Belgian Film Critics Association (UCC).

Background

In the 16th century, the Duke of Alba crushed the rebellion of Flanders against Spain. The strict Catholic King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598), restricted religious freedom and applied the decrees of the Council of Trent which strengthened the power of the Inquisition in Flanders. During this turbulent period, the venerable writer and philosopher Zénon Ligre arrived in Bruges.

Plot

The doctor and alchemist Zénon Ligre returns to his country of origin Flanders using false documentation, after spending his life traveling around Europe. In his hometown of Bruges, he finds work as a doctor in the convent of the Cordeliers. After founding a clinic and spa, he sets out to work as a doctor and alchemist for the poor. Zénon‘s ideology and methods were very popular among the Flemish population, but they ran the risk of being condemned by the Inquisition because they deviated from official orthodoxy. Having engaged in bisexual relations for several years, Zénon is accused of having homosexual relations with a young friar. Long sought after by authorities for his subversive writings, Zénon is arrested. He is tried by a court of the Inquisition and accused of witchcraft, murder, and unnatural relations. Rather than be burned at the stake, he prefers to choose his own death.