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Suppose you could—or would—for a week, unplug. Leave behind the electronics and print materials and the daily connection to the outside world. But, more than that, not even speak to those around you. Instead, go somewhere breathtakingly beautiful and live in complete simplicity.
Now imagine it for a lifetime.
Into Great Silence is the story of a year in the life of the monks of The Grande Chartreuse, a monastery in the French Alps, which is the home of one of the most ascetic orders in the world. They practice a vow of silence—except for their daily rituals of prayer and chanting and a weekly walk outside the monastery walls, when they are allowed to talk (and be surprisingly silly) with each other.
The film is unique in many ways. Director Philip Gröning approached the monks in 1984 with the request to film life at the monastery, and they said that they wanted time to think about it. After sixteen years, they gave him permission, and the film was released in 2005. It was filmed entirely by Gröning himself, with no other crew, additional lighting, or special sound equipment; everything you see and hear is natural, unaltered, and almost completely wordless.
What we see: a young monk in his chamber, unhurriedly transcribing holy writings and eating a simple lunch, an older monk climbing steep stairs to his loft workshop to measure and cut cloth for a new robe, a gardener clearing plots deep in the snow for spring planting, a barber gently and carefully shaving the heads of his brothers. Among the community rituals, perhaps most moving is the nighttime vigil, when the chancel is lit by only one candle until the cantor turns on his light and sings. Then he turns it off again, allowing the monks to meditate in silence.
This work has received great critical acclaim—including a Special Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival—for good reason. Gröning lets the lives of the monks speak for themselves—without dialogue, commentary, or embellishment. The minimalist technique makes it obvious how much clamor we experience every day. To enhance viewers’ sense of the beauty of the monks’ lives, Gröning intersperses images of the snow-capped mountains, rushing streams, and starlit skies. He also uses extended close-ups of the men’s faces to depict their thoughtfulness and humility.
If this film is viewed without background noise or interruptions, it can be more than just a movie; it can be a transformative experience. The gentle pace regulates breathing; blood pressure drops; the heart rate slows; bodies and minds naturally relax. For this is the pace of a world where every activity takes as much time as it takes, and it is fully lived and enjoyed. And when the movie’s over, it can be very hard to return to everyday life.
