The Innocents

In December 1945 Warsaw, Beaulieu, a young French student doctor attached to an army unit, goes to the nun's convent after hearing of ill women. She meets the Mother Superior and learns that conditions are strained and secretive. This visit sets the stage for her mission to help beyond official channels.

The Abbess confesses that several nuns were raped by Soviet soldiers, describing a culture of secrecy and fear of scandal. Seven nuns are pregnant, and many hesitate to be examined due to vows of chastity. The revelation deepens the nuns' spiritual and emotional crisis.

Soldiers arrive, suspicious that the nuns harbor an enemy. Beaulieu persuades them she is there to combat a typhus outbreak, preventing a raid. The Mother Superior is visibly shaken and grateful for Beaulieu's quick thinking.

Beaulieu returns to the army medical unit and is chastised for leaving without leave. Her superior emphasizes military order and discipline over humanitarian discretion. The clash highlights the tension between compassion and military protocol.

During another visit, a novice delivers without realizing she was pregnant. The Abbess orders all births to be reported, but Beaulieu asks for discretion to focus on the newborn's care. A quiet decision to shield the baby from immediate notice takes shape.

The newborn is entrusted to Sister Zofia, illustrating the hidden burden carried by the nuns. Beaulieu supports the decision to protect the child from prying eyes. This act deepens the veil of secrecy surrounding the convent's situation.

Beaulieu questions how such suffering can be reconciled with faith. The Mistress of Novices explains that faith persists through moments of doubt and flickers of hope. Their exchange reveals a personal, painful crisis for the nuns.

Beaulieu returns to the army unit and learns that they will be transferred out of the area. The impending move compounds the practical challenges of continuing medical aid. The shift underscores the fragility of support for the convent's work.

As more nuns go into labor, Beaulieu brings a male Jewish colleague to help safeguard the newborns' secrecy. They ensure the mothers' privacy remains intact despite the risk of discovery. The atmosphere remains tense yet hopeful about the babies' futures.

The Mistress of Novices brings a baby to the base to protect it, but the Abbess discovers the ruse. She condemns it as scandal and disorder, while the Mistress of Novices counters that such ills were already present. A power struggle within the convent comes to a head.

The Mother Superior ultimately leaves a baby beside a crucifix after baptism, rather than placing it with a family. Zofia is distraught by the situation and later dies by suicide after her failing her duties under pressure. The tragedy exposes the devastating consequences of secrecy.

When the Mistress visits Zofia's family, she learns they were unaware of the child’s existence. She resolves to tell the aunt the truth and then confronts the Abbess about deception. This marks a crucial awakening to Providence and complicity.

Back at the medical base, Beaulieu helps escort three babies to safety. She notices street orphans assisting the staff, sparking the idea of the nuns running an orphanage to avoid questions about origins. The plan shifts the convent toward communal care rather than secrecy.

Some sisters decide to stay and raise their own children, while others agree to have the babies raised by the nuns. The choices reflect a desire for moral agency in a ruined system. The community moves toward forming a new, open form of family life.

The final scene shows three months later, with a photographer at the convent capturing images of the nuns and the thriving orphans. The moment signals a hopeful transition from trauma to community. It offers a glimpse of a brighter future for the children and the sisters alike.