Into Great Silence

The Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps, headquarters of the Cartusian order, is regarded as one of the most isolated places in the world. Outsiders and tourists are kept at arm’s length. The monks, who have taken an oath of silence, live in sober cells from which they only emerge to work and pray three times a day. Very exceptionally – and thirteen years after his first request – Gröning was given permission to come and film. Only Gröning was welcome, not a film crew. The maker was also not allowed to use any extra lighting. All in all, Gröning spent six months in the monastery, where he lived with the monks and as a monk, in a precarious balance between isolation and community spirit. The film shows life in the monastery, the changing of the seasons, the repeated rituals, psalms and prayers. The members of this self-sufficient community grow their own food and repair their own clothes. As a result of the absence of dialogue, the sound of an apple being peeled or a burning wood stove are almost tangible. The recurring intertitles emphasise the contemplative life of the monastery. The singing of the monks is the only music that is heard. There is no narrator, nor did Gröning record any interviews for his film; a 164-minute journey into silence. (PvH)

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