DES HOMMES ET DES DIEUX (OF GODS AND MEN)

France, 2010, 120 minutes, Colour.
Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale.
Directed by Xavier Beauvois.

One of the finest religious films, and one of the best Catholic films, in years.

No controversy here. The film won the Ecumenical Prize at Cannes 2010. It also won the Grand Prix du Jury from the festival itself.

The subject is the Trappist community of Mt Atlas, Algeria, in the 1990s. Living their monastic life amongst the local people and ministering to them, especially with medical services, they were viewed more and more with suspicion in the country, especially because they were French expatriates, by government troops who were becoming more active against the increasing terrorist attacks, and by the terrorists themselves. Seven of the monks were killed in the latter part of May, 1996.

While the film expertly builds up the background of post-colonial Algeria, corrupt government, extreme Islamists imposing something like Taliban terror in the towns and villages, the role of the military is ambiguous. Later, and with stronger evidence emerging in recent years with documentation more open and available, the violence perpetrated by both sides, including the military is now under review. The centre of the film, however, is the life of the monks and their preparation for death.

Filmed in Morocco, the film is both beautiful and austere in its landscapes and in the interiors of the monastery – and in the interior lives of the monks and their commitment to God and to their order.

The director, Xavier Beauvois, shows an instinct for depicting the detail of monastic life with sensitivity and a strong awareness of what it means. His technical advisers have offered expert information which he has absorbed. And the casting is perfect. The actors look, move, speak and act as if they were authentic monks. Lambert Wilson shows the complexity of a man elected to be superior but who has a tendency to make decisions himself but is ultimately willing to be guided in discernment by the whole community. They are eight, while a visiting monk at the end is caught up in the tragedy. Veteran Michael Lonsdale is the ageing doctor who shows practical wisdom in his medical skills and down-to-earth counsel as well as in his religious life.

There is a very striking sequence (making us wonder how we would handle such a situation) where the leader of the rebels comes to demand the doctor come to his camp to tend to a wounded man. The superior stands his ground, says that weapons are not allowed in the grounds and offers to speak outside the walls. He also refuses to give medicine, stating that they cannot give what they have not got. The leader accepts this after they exchange a quotation from the Quran. He offers his hand to the superior to shake. The superior accepts and explains that it is Christmas eve, which the leader understands. Later, the superior and the community will marvel at what they did and how they then went to celebrate Midnight Mass.

The film is able to cover all aspects of the religious routine of the monastery in accurate detail (allowing for Trappists to point out some small things which may not be quite right, but these are not evident to a Catholic eye). In fact, it communicates the life and spirit, the prayer, Eucharist, sung liturgy, silence and contemplation, the detachment of the vow of poverty, the taken-for-granted sacrifices of the vow of chastity, the work, the meals and the readings, the community meetings, the outreach. This is shown in episodes throughout the film which are as effective, even more effective, than a documentary. The film could well serve as a recruitment vehicle because it shows the life as both credible and authentic.

The screenplay does not shy away from deep and reflective words which support the visual action. First of all, the words from the scriptures are most apt, especially about two together, one taken, one left, and the text on losing and gaining one’s life. But, each of the monks is given several opportunities to speak about his vocation and his commitment. This is stronger as the risk situation becomes more dangerous and their lives are threatened.

All the time, the audience is challenged to wonder what they would do in such dangerous circumstances, especially after official advice from the area is given, recommending the monks leave and return to France. At a community gathering, the superior asks them all to give voice to whether each wanted to stay or leave. Some speak in favour of leaving and explain why: family, illness, the opportunity to continue their work elsewhere. Some are still uncertain. Others wish to stay, intuitively knowing that this is where God wanted them to be.

After this, each of the monks has to discern his path in terms of his commitment and understanding of God’s will. One of the monks experiences dark night in his prayer and the sequence where the superior listens, allows him to voice his doubts, is moving, and enables him to find some peace of soul.

After the advice to leave, the monks listen to the opinions of the local people, especially those who come to the monastery for medical help. Their argument is that the monks remain in solidarity with the people. At the final discernment meeting, this argument is given great attention, with Gospel backing and the spirituality of Jesus who stayed faithful until his death. This inevitability of death has been shown to great dramatic effect in the 1989 film Romero, where the archbishop of San Salvador knows that his words and actions and the anger of his opponents can lead only to death.

For an audience wanting to know and understand something deeper about Christian spirituality, something deeper underlying, despite the sins and failures of the church and of church people and the consequent anger at abuse and scandals, these scenes offer a great deal to ponder.

So does the letter that the superior writes before the monks are abducted in vans, audio-taped for their identity, knowing that they are hostages, and led into the snow and the mountains to their deaths. He goes over the decisions and the motivation but also acknowledges that the monks have lived in a Muslim country with its Quranic ideals and spirituality and its God, far from the fanaticism of those who do not really read their scriptures fully or are caught up in bellicose righteousness. There is a quotation from Pascal about the satisfaction in war of those who fight because of religious conviction – which may be merely a worldly ideology rather than religion. The superior's development of the theology of the incarnation and how they themselves will live this theology as they go to death in the same way that Jesus did.

These Trappists of Algeria were not considered saints in the ordinariness of their religious lives. They did their best. However, faced with the reality of impending death, like many a religious or a secular hero, they found their depths, despite any fear, and discovered a martyr’s saintliness in giving a life for others. The director offers this very movingly, without words, as the community sits to enjoy something of a last supper together, the camera focusing on each, their smiles, then their tears, then their deep resignation, drinking a glass of wine together, and all to the powerful rhythms and melodies of Tchaikowsky’s Swan Lake.

Perhaps this makes it sound as if the film is offering a sermon rather than a movie story. It is a movie first and foremost and that is how it delivers its message, through story and in words and moving images.

1. The impact of the film? A story of Algeria, the 20th century, terrorism? A story of monks, Catholics, the Catholic church, martyrdom?

2. The facts of the 1990s, later information about the fate of the monks?

3. The location photography in Morocco: the Atlas Mountains, the villages, the roads, the landscapes?

4. The monastery on the hill, the grounds, the building itself, the chapel, interiors?

5. The monks in the monastery, enclosed but accessible, working with the locals, especially with medical help? Relationship with the military, with the terrorists? The monks and their outreach, social, pastoral, dialogue with the government?

6. The background score, the use of chant, hymns, to create the sacred atmosphere?

7. Audience knowledge of the Trappists, of the order, community life, a small group, commitment and life, the rooms of the monastery, study, chapel, dining room, infirmary? Prayer, liturgy, Eucharist, silence and contemplation, the detachment of poverty, the commitment of celibacy and chastity, obedience and discernment? The role of the superior, orders, community discernment? Spirituality? A spirituality of the incarnation – especially at the end, when Christian explains why the monks have stayed, the reality of the incarnation of Jesus and the monks repeating this incarnation in their own times?

8. Monastic life as lived, the role of the superior and his leadership, at mass, leading the chant? His knowledge of the Bible, writing? His knowledge of the Koran?

9. Luc and his age, his work in the infirmary, his medical background? His ability with people, care? His healing the terrorist? Down-to-earth? The discussion about love and its meaning with the young girl? His asthma and his illness? His staying, working with superior? Providing the wine at the last meal? Playing Swan Lake?

10. Christian and his studious background, elected by the group, his leadership, contacts with the government, discussions about whether the monks should stay or leave? The interfaith meetings? His study, the confrontation of the terrorist leader, his telling him that arms should be outside the monastery, not being able to give the medicine? Explaining it was Christmas Eve, the leader acknowledging this and shaking hands? Their shared discussion of a Koran quote? His being asked by the military to come and identify the body, his prayer over the dead body and the resentful reaction of the military? Community meetings, putting his own ideas forth, the monks challenging him, putting their own views, a community discernment? Their choices to leave or stay? Listening to the government’s proposal that they leave? Listening to the local people that they stay? The final meeting, the text of his letter in voice-over, the explanation about the monks, the spirituality, the incarnation, Jesus and his death, the role of Islam, pure Islam, fanaticism? The monks seen together – with the helicopter hovering?

11. Amadee and his age, a joyful man, hiding under the bed and surviving?

12. The characters of the other monks, their ages, some ill, the detail of their work, the cook? The hesitation in some of the decisions? Time for prayer and reflection? Their final decision to stay?

13. The monk who was afraid, his praying but not hearing any voice from God, a dark night of the spirit, the superior supporting him, discovering peace, the courage in his decision?

14. The monks with the people, with their staff, going to the celebration for the young boy and participating? Sometimes wearing their habits, secular dress going outside? Moving around, the car, the phone, selling honey at the market? The car breaking down – and the walking group of women fixing it?

15. The detail of work in the monastery, the honey-making, the selling at the market, ploughing the fields?

16. The terrorists, their background, fanaticism, reports of their killing teachers because of teaching the girls about love? The arrival on Christmas Eve, the leader, the confrontation? Later bringing the wounded man to the monastery, Luc tending to him? The terrorist leader and his death, Christian identifying him?

17. The governor, his advice, his reminder of the colonial past and France plundering Algeria? The monks as expatriates? The arguments for them to leave?

18. The meeting with the people, their memories of the past, their reliance on the monks, the monks identifying with them and they with the monks, enabling them to face the terrorists?

19. The Gospel quotations, the incarnation of Jesus?

20. The moving scene of the last supper, the wine, Swan Lake? The camera tracking their faces, happy, in tears, resigned?

21. The helicopter, the group of monks ready? The abduction during the night? The two escaping? The monks in the vans? Audiotaping their identities? Being marched up the hill into the snow? The value of the film not showing their execution?

22. The final information and its impact on the audience after this religious experience?