[Spero] Directed by Xavier Beauvois, Des Hommes et de Dieux “Of Gods and Men” – a meditative film based on actual gruesome events – won a prize at the Cannes film festival for works fostering inter-religious understanding. Judged by an ecumenical jury, the pic recounts the lives and deaths of a group of French monks who were massacred and beheaded in a Cistercian monastery Algeria in events that remain mysterious and controversial.
The film’s plot centers on the Catholic monks as they wrestle with whether to flee during a bloody conflict between Algeria’s army and Muslim jihadi insurgents, or to remain in their monastery from which they had ministered to their Muslim neighbors. The statement of the jury declared that “The deep humanity of the monks, their respect for Islam and their generosity towards their village neighbors make the reason for our choice.” Moreover, wrote the jury, “This movie of great artistic value benefits from a remarkable group of actors and follows the daily rhythm of work and liturgy.” The jury also commended two other films in competition for Cannes’ main prize, “Poetry” by South Korean director Lee Chang-Dong and “Another Year” by Britain’s Mike Leigh.
May 23, 2010 at 5:34 am
There's a huge difference, to my mind, between "respect for Islam" and "respect for human individuals who are Muslims." My guess is that the real, live, actual monks (as opposed to the Cannes jurors) had the latter, not the former.
May 23, 2010 at 11:11 am
A beautiful song…the lyrics are spell-binding.
I hope this can be purchased somewhere soon.
DON
May 23, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Thank you Kathy. That phrase made me pause, too. You said what I was thinking, but couldn't articulate.