France, 17th century: In Loudun, the priest Urbain Grandier is known for his sermons and his love affairs, and he openly defies the Cardinal’s grab for power. Behind convent walls, the prioress Sister Jeanne develops an obsessive passion for him. When she accuses him of witchcraft, the town descends into exorcisms, hysteria and political scheming. Russell’s adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s “The Devils of Loudun” remains one of the most radical reckonings with church and power.