Des hommes et des dieux

English title: Of Gods and Men

Genre: religious drama  

With: Lambert Wilson (Christian), Michael Lonsdale (Luc), Olivier Rabourdin (Christophe), Philippe Laudenbach (Célestin), Jacques Herlin (Amédée), Loïc Pichon (Jean-Pierre), Xavier Maly (Michel), Jean-Marie Frin (Paul), Abdelhafid Metalsi (Nouredine), Sabrina Ouazani (Rabbia), Abdellah Moundy (Omar), Olivier Perrier (Bruno), Farid Larbi (Ali Fayattia), Adel Bencherif (the terrorist)

Director: Xavier Beauvois

Screenplay: Étienne Comar, with adaptation (dialogues) by Xavier Beauvois

Release: 2010

Studio: Why Not Productions, Armada Films et al.

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.2/10

 

 

‟We are the birds and you are the branch. If you leave, where will we land?” 

 

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Story-line: a group of French Catholic monks living their faith and doing social work in the Algerian countryside feel threatened by mounting radicalism and hostility towards foreigners. 

Pluses: admirable acting by Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale and a capable cast, a solemn, sincere and unhurried screenplay that conveys the basic simplicity of monastic life and gives meaning to every word, silence or sigh, calm and considerate direction, lovely exteriors and cinematography, sober production values.

Minuses: none, except that this movie may be too quiet for some viewers. 

Comments: DES HOMMES ET DES DIEUX, which delves into the personal and spiritual challenges faced by the Tibérine monks in 1996, avoids the questions and political issues that their story eventually raised in France. By restricting themselves in such a way, Xavier Beauvois and crew present an intimate, meditative and realistic portrait of religious men whose loyalty to God was tested in the most radical way. Here’s to a fine and thought-provoking film.  

 

MBiS 

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