On the outskirts of Chihuanhua, Mexico, the night sky is filled with many stars and as the darkness fades into the light of dawn, one can hear a chorus of insects, birds, and other animals. Johan (Cornelio Wall Fehr) is a Mennonite farmer seated at his kitchen table with his wife Esther (Miriam Toews) and their large brood of young children. They begin the day with silent prayer. After breakfast, she leaves with the kids. Seated at the table, he begins to weep.

Johan then goes to a nearby garage to pick up a crankshaft for his tractor. He tells his best friend Zacarius (Jacobo Klassen) about the affair he is having with Marianne (Maria Pankratz), saying he feels she is the right woman for him. His buddy says that the proper fit between lovers is something sacred. Johan agrees, and when a favorite song comes out of the garage radio, he asks for it to be turned up and he joyfully sings along with the ballad as he drives his truck in circles around Zacarius. Then he meets with Marianne and they kiss passionately and have sex.

Johan stops by his parent's farm to tell his father about his affair, explaining that he has told Esther about Marianne. After suggesting that the devil may be the source of his son's problem, his dad admits that he once fell in love with another woman as well. Johan meets with Esther and the children at a pond where the kids play and receive shampoos. It is clear that he is very close to his children and that a new barrier has arisen between him and his wife. Once they are alone in a car, Esther breaks down remembering how close they once were in their marriage. She gets out of the car in a driving rainstorm and walks to a tree where she collapses in tears. She clutches at her chest signaling a broken heart.

In Battle in Heaven, writer and director Carlos Reygadas dealt with the spiritual emergency of a married man who turns to sex as the only solace in a storm of guilt, fear, and regret. When that doesn't work, he does an act of penance. The director explores spiritual themes again in Stellet Licht. The simple elegance of this drama performed by non-professional actors makes it unique. The opening sequence of darkness and daybreak sets the stage for what follows — a fresh exploration of adultery in a religious community where devotion to God is the order of the day. Again Reygadas challenges us to see how grace can transform our lives in ways that touch the heart and go beyond reason.

Screened at the 45th New York Film Festival, October 2007.