The Divine Order (2017)

What makes The Divine Order special is how it turns a pivotal political fight into something intimate, funny, and deeply human—less a history lesson than a warmly lit awakening you can feel in your bones. Petra Biondina Volpe captures the cozy Swiss village vibe with a gently comic touch, then steadily lets the air out of its “nice” traditions until you see exactly what they cost, anchored by Marie Leuenberger’s terrific, quietly radiant performance as a woman discovering her own voice. The film’s humor doesn’t soften the urgency; it makes the courage more relatable, building to a satisfying sense of momentum without ever treating its characters like symbols. It’s a crowd-pleaser with a spine, though if candid sexual education and some moderate nudity are a dealbreaker, you’ll want to know it goes there in service of the story’s liberation theme.

The Divine Order is clearly aiming to be an accessible, crowd-pleasing underdog story about ordinary women pushing Switzerland toward women’s suffrage, and it’s easy to admire its good intentions and humane spirit. The catch is that it often plays like a polished feel-good crowd-pleaser first and a thorny political drama second, with a fairly predictable arc and a few moments that feel tidied up for maximum uplift. If you want a sharper, messier, more challenging look at power and activism, you may find it a bit surface-level and sentimental. Still, the performances (especially Marie Leuenberger) and the warm village atmosphere make it a solid pick if you’re in the mood for something earnest, approachable, and gently inspiring rather than hard-hitting.