Into Great Silence
Nestled deep in the postcard-perfect French Alps, the Grande Chartreuse is considered one of the world’s most ascetic monasteries. In 1984, German filmmaker Philip Gröning wrote to the Carthusian order for permission to make a documentary. They said they’d back to him. Sixteen years later, they were ready. Gröning, sans crew or artificial lighting, lived in the monks’ quarters for six months—filming daily prayers, tasks, rituals, and rare outdoor excursions. This transcendent, closely observed film seeks to embody a monastery, rather than simply depict one—it has no score, no voiceover, and no archival footage. What remains is stunningly elemental: time, space, and light—one of the most mesmerizing and poetic chronicles of spirituality ever created.
“A transcendent, transporting experience.” —Kenneth Turan, The Los Angeles Times
Zeitgeist: The Films of Our Times series – SIFF Cinema Fall 2008
Sponsors:
Encore Media Group, Nokia
Cast & Crew
Director: Philip Gröning
Producer: Philip Gröning, Michael Weber, Andreas Pfaeffli, Elda Guidinetti
Editor: Philip Gröning
Screenwriter: Philip Gröning
Cinematographer: Philip Gröning
Awards: Sundance 2006 (Special Jury Award), Bavarian Film Award (Best Documentary)
Music: Philip Gröning, Michael Busch
Filmography: Summer (1986); The Terrorists! (1992); L’Amour, l’argent, l’amour (2000)
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