How would you feel if you are in a situation when death is breathing down your neck and all you wish to do is wait for it to strike? On the night of 26 and 27 March, 1996, eight of the ten French monks were kidnapped from their monastry in Tibhrine, in the Atlas mountains of Algeria, North Africa. Their heads were recovered on 31 May, 1996. The death of the eight monks shocked France and since then became a black page in the history of Franco-Algerien relationship. 14 years after this incident, in 2010 French filmmaker Xavier Beauvois tries to recapture the last days of the ten monks as they continued to serve the village in Tibhrine as the monastry had been for the past 50 years since its establishment in 1938.
Des Hommes et Des Dieux (Of Men and Of Gods) released in 2010 won the Prix de Jury écumenique at the Cannes and was released on September 8. Since then the French and Maghrebine audiences who lived through the 10 years of civil war and Islamic terrorism in Algeria haven’t stopped raving about it. It’s a film that is growing popular with each passing day.
Beauvois, while capturing the stark landscape and the local customs of Tibhrine, has masterfully etched out the dilemma of the 10 monks who are unsure of whether they should continue serving their mission in Tibhrine, considering that the wave of Islamic terrorism was wiping out anyone or anything that was being considered unIslamic. Even as the monks are caught in the quagmire and weigh the pros and cons of returning to France, their head Christiane (Lambert Wilson) strongly advocates staying in Tibhrine and continuing to serve the people as that is what they had promised their life to.
The monks continue with their daily work of giving medicines and helping the local village folk with their day-to-day problems and worries. The villagers in turn are grateful for their presence and insist that, terrified as they are, they find support and strength in the presence of the monks in the village. And slowly, all the monks come to agree with Christiane, that the mission of their life is to serve the people of Tibheria. That is their promise to the Almighty and they should be able to stick to their promise come what may.
Meanwhile, the Algerian army and officials try to warn the monks of the danger that looms large. However, their devotion to their purpose continues. In fact, their decision to nurse a wounded terrorist only makes them look like allies in the eyes of the Algerian army.
The film is a fine representation of Christian life, purpose and faith especially in the face of danger. The discussions on the purpose of their mission are enlightening and fills the viewer with courage, as fear threatens to set in. At the same time, Des Hommes et Des Dieux is also a window to the reign of terror that swept through Algeria in the 1990s, a phenomenon that the world doesn’t know much about. Many thousands were killed and massacred because they were suspected of leading ‘unislamic’ lives. Overall, a great and enlightening watch
Published on 3rd November, 2010 at Passion for Cinema:
http://passionforcinema.com/of-men-and-of-gods-movie-review-death-at-the-doorstep/
1 comments:
Thanks for the heads up...will definitely try to get it.
I've always been somewhat suspicious of missionary ventures though never for a moment do I discredit their dedication to their cause. However, it's the cause that makes me uncomfortable. Proselytizing, whether in Islam, Christianity, does impinge on an individual's personal space; if I wanted to practice a particular religion I would go seek it out. Why does the religion have to come seeking me?
The above is just an opinion an may verily be disregarded : )
Will get back to you once I watch the movie.
Post a Comment