1. Au Hazard Balthazar (1966)
I have cried watching this which is its first indication of the depression level of this film (usually I rub my hands in glee at a depressing film). If you are an animal lover, you simply cannot love this film even though it is a genuine masterpiece from Master of Austerity - Robert Bresson. The life of Balthazar the donkey is seriously depressing as he is treated with cruelty and contempt in the film. For an animal lover, these scenes are hard to take especially as the poor donkey cannot fight back or escape his fate. The film has a human life going on - Marie - a simple farm girl is subjected to the similar callousness and cruelty that parallels Balthazar's life. The donkey becomes a metaphor for transcendence and saintliness. It is a movie about suffering - but not being broken by that suffering because to be angry and pursue vengeance would be a worse character deficit than being passive. This makes Balthazar exceptionally vulnerable. It can be compared to Bresson's Mouchette in which a young, neglected and impoverished school girl achieves spiritual transcendence via the act of suicide after being abused and demeaned by everyone around her. Au Hasard Balthazar is a beautiful and deeply meaningful film but to love it is to break your heart.