The Grande Chartreuse, the mother house of the legendary Carthusian Order, is based in the French Alps. Into Great Silence is the first film about life inside the Grande Chartreuse. Silence. Repitition. Rhythm. The film is an austere, next to silent meditation on monastic life in a very pure form. No music except the chants in the monastery, no interviews, no commentaries, no extra material. Changing of time, seasons, and the ever repeated elements of the day, of the prayer. A film to become a monastery, rather than depict one. A film about awareness, absolute presence, and the life of men who devote their lives to God.
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A Glimpse into a Life of Peace
Mark Banks (United Kingdom)
Opinion: Recommended
Okay so let's be honest, Into Great Silence isn't exactly one to watch with the guys around on a Saturday night! But if you can put it on hold until Sunday afternoon, maybe on a rainy day, or late in the evening on a weekday night, you're in for something special - a glimpse into a life that is a world apart from today's frantic society. Rarely has such tanquility been captured on film, but Philip Groning has succeeded admirably here. The film reminds me somewhat of The Tree of Wooden Clogs in its tranquil, poetic pace. Films like this have a valuable place in the world by offering us a vision of a way of life that is far closer to that that our ancestors lived, than most historical dramas will depict - certainly in England centuries ago, the whole life of the village was centered around the church and its associated monasteries and convents. Thankfully of the few monastries that survive an increasing number now take in guests on spiritual retreats; something that I highly recommend experiencing.
