It is a movie about contemplative life of Carthusian monks in France at La Grande Chartreuse.
The main language in the movie is a universal one: silence. The two languages that can be heard are French and Latin. The few bible verses inserted into the movie are in French and German.
The movie sometimes stops for some reason but it will continue, at times requiring a bit of clicking around.
The following is quoted from gloria.tv [1]:
The idea for the film was proposed to the monks in 1984, but the Carthusians said they wanted time to think about it. They responded to [Philip] Gröning 16 years later to say they were willing to permit him to shoot the movie if he was still interested. Gröning then came alone to live at the monastery, where no visitors were ordinarily allowed, for a total of six months in 2002 and 2003. He filmed and recorded on his own, using no artificial light. Gröning then spent two and a half years editing the film. The final cut contains neither spoken commentary nor added sound effects. It consists of images and sounds that depict the rhythm of monastic life, with occasional subtitles displaying selections from Holy Scripture.
Zeitgeist Films had this to say [2]:
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 about them. They said they would get back to him. Sixteen years later, they were ready. Gröning, sans crew or artificial lighting, lived in the monks’ quarters for six months—filming their 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, INTO GREAT SILENCE dissolves the border between screen and audience with a total immersion into the hush of monastic life. More meditation than documentary, it’s a rare, transformative theatrical experience for all.
There are other Carthusian monasteries besides La Grande Chartreuse. Wikipedia has a list of them [3].
Journeyman Pictures uploaded to You Tube a video entitled What's It Like to Become a Monk? [4] It took place in Évora [5], Portugal, at the "Cartuxa Santa María de Scala Coeli (Escada do Céu)" [6]. The Carthusian monks and those hoping to join them there actually spoke in this video, with subtitles in English.
The seclusion of monastic life can be appealing but it is not for most men. It requires courage, sacrifices and determination. Those who are willing to commit themselves must have been called specially by God to live a prayerful and contemplative life mostly in silence and in solitude.
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