Diary of a Bride of Christ

To understand why she has dissociated from her religious family values, Marta Smerechynska, the film’s director, approaches her sister after six years of silence. She films her sister’s life in a new home - a convent of Brides of Christ located in Western Ukraine. There, Marta not only struggles with the rules set by the nunnery, but also re-discovers her own beliefs and values.
Marta’s relationship with her sister Nastia, who has renounced all of her human possessions to become a part of this isolated world, reflects the experience of other families and their daughters inside the closed religious community. The film, in turn, explores their loss, misunderstandings and judgments. Unlike when talking to her sister, Marta manages to freely discuss her emotions and feelings with nuns who see Marta as a point of connection to their past. She seeks answers to why young girls decide to enter centuries-old churches to become Brides of Christ. The choice to become a nun has crossed Marta’s mind as well. The choice not to follow the urge to join while staying emotionally involved forms the nerve of the film.
Searching for answers, Marta rediscovers love for her sister and her companions throughout this journey despite their paths taking very different directions.