If you've ever wondered about life in a monastery, a new documentary — already much praised and awarded in Europe — offers an unbeatable "you are there" impression.
The aptly named Into Great Silence (Zeitgeist) is German filmmaker Philip Groning's poetically filmed profile of a Carthusian monastery, Le Grande Chartreuse, secluded in the French Alps, and discreetly follows the cloistered monks in their daily — mostly silent and solitary — routines over a six-month period.
The order was founded in 1084 by St. Bruno of Cologne.
Groning's respectful, no-frills approach utilizes no narration or background music. Yet, the soundtrack is far from silent. The sounds of bells chiming, wood being sawed, footsteps falling on long corridors, Gregorian chants and the like are ever-present.
The film begins with a monk praying intently in his cell. From there, other monks and activities are observed, albeit from a careful distance. We see them performing their daily ablutions, sweeping the floor, shoveling snow, watering plants, cutting fabric for clothes, all without speaking, though there is not an absolute vow of silence there.
Gradually, Groning allows more intimacy, even showing us some of the monks in revealing close-up, staring directly into the camera, alternately blank, uncomfortable or quizzical, but all without even a trace of guile. The priests are a mix of young and old, and Groning pays particular attention to a new member of their ranks, a black African novice.
The film is well under way before we hear any speech or observe any verbal interaction. The first speaking we hear is at a Sunday meal, the one day when the monks are free to talk. We also get to observe them on their weekly walk in the woods.
Later, Groning devotes a lengthy sequence to the monks getting their hair cut, and a very elderly monk having ointment spread on his skin by a younger colleague. Such interaction is rare, but telling in its strong sense of community. Near the end of the film, we see how playful these serious men can be, as they frolic in the snow and laugh.
By alternately combining a painterly formality (there are some still-life shots of fruit in bowls and tools) and a verite intimacy, Groning skillfully captures the textures and rhythms of this highly structured existence.
Many will find the film's austerity and nearly three-hour length overly demanding, but for those viewers willing to give themselves up to it, they'll be rewarded with a rich cinematic and spiritual experience.
In French and Latin. Subtitles.
The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I — general patronage. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
