Of Gods and Men

Dir: Xavier Beauvois

2010

****

Xavier Beauvois’ 2010 drama Of Gods and Men tells the tragic true story of The Monks of Tibhirine. In 1996, seven French Trappist monks from the monastery of Tibhirine, Algeria, were kidnapped and found beheaded. The Armed Islamic Group of Algeria claimed full responsibility for the incident. However, according to documents from French secret services, it is possible that the killings were a mistake carried out by the Algerian army during a rescue attempt. The film is in part an adaptation of John W. Kiser's 2002 book The Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love, and Terror in Algeria. The film opens with a quotation from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 82:6–7: "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." We then follow the monks' peaceful routine of prayer which is repeated throughout the film. The character development is strong as we follow the monks as they eat and talk together while providing medical assistance to the local community. Their interaction with the community is soon interrupted however by the threat of an Islamic fundamentalist group. When their elected leader, Christian (Lambert Wilson), declines the protection of the corrupt civil authority, the monks divide among themselves on the question of whether to stay or flee Algeria. Before a decision is reached, a group of fundamentalists, led by Ali Fayattia, enters the monks' compound in force on Christmas Eve and demands their doctor and his medical supplies. Christian refuses their requests and cites the Quran as proof of the monks' goodwill. With a mixture of surprise and respect, Fayattia leaves the compound and grants it his protection until his capture, torture and death at the hands of government forces. Despite the growing danger, the monks come to consensus on the moral importance of maintaining their committed lives with, and ministry to, the local population, even when faced with violence and death. Ultimately, the terrorists seize most of the monks during a nighttime raid and hold them hostage. As the captive monks trudge a snowy path towards a grim fate, the film concludes with the spiritual testament of Prior Christian de Chergé, bravely written in the face of death. The surviving two monks of Tibhirine left Algeria and traveled to a Trappist monastery near Midelt in Morocco. The murdered monks were Dom Christian de Chergé, Brother Luc (born Paul Dochier), Father Christophe (Lebreton), Brother Michel (Fleury), Father Bruno (born Christian Lemarchand), Father Célestin (Ringeard), and Brother Paul (Favre-Miville). The film project was initiated by Etienne Comar in 2006, when the tenth anniversary of the incident made it a topic again in French media. Comar, a film producer by profession and a Catholic, had been fascinated by the monks since the earliest news of the abduction, but felt that their death had overshadowed what he thought was really interesting - why they had decided to stay in Algeria despite the ongoing Algerian Civil War. Comar contacted Xavier Beauvois in 2008 after having written a draft, and together they continued to work on the screenplay. The two researched, met with theologians, and during a break Beauvois chose to live for six days at the Tamié Abbey in Savoie – something he later requested the actors who played the monks to do before filming begun. Some inspiration was taken from writings by two of the Tibhirine monks, Christian de Chergé and Christophe Lebreton. Franco-American monastic consultant Henry Quinson was asked to correct and add historical and liturgical content for further authenticity. The script was later sent to relatives of the deceased monks, most of whom reacted positively to the project. The financing coincided with the revelation of the Algerian army's possible involvement in the incident, which once again sparked an interest for the story from media and the public. Xavier Beauvois clearly made every attempt at telling the story with the utmost respect and handled the story with great care. As preparation for their roles, François Polgar, the former assistant director of the choir of the Paris Opera, former director of Le Chœur de Radio France and director of The Paris Boys Choir, trained the actors who were to play monks for a month in the Cistercian and Gregorian chants. The cast is impressive and represents the crème de la crème of French cinema. Each actor spent a week living as a monk at the Tamié Abbey. The actors used different approaches to their individual roles. Lambert Wilson primarily used Christian de Chergé's writings to develop a subjective perception of the monk's personality. Xavier Maly, a non-Catholic, prepared himself by praying every day for a month. Jean-Marie Frin based his interpretation partially on a home video from Paul Favre-Miville's vow. Michael Lonsdale on the other hand preferred to rely on instinct, and did not prepare much at all. Each technique worked and the characters felt real and their conversations and their prayer are totally believable. The attention to detail is astonishing. The main filming location was the Benedictine monastery of Toumliline, which had stood unused and unattended for more than forty years. The film team, under production designer Michel Barthélémy, renovated the monastery so it would resemble the location of the actual events. Quinson who had assisted with the screenplay was also present on the set as an adviser. Attention was paid to extras' clothing and Arabic intonation so that they would look and sound Algerian and not Moroccan. I love that nothing is done for artistic effect and that there is no emotional manipulation. It’s an emotional film for sure but it is handled tactfully and tastefully. It’s still a mystery what actually happened to the Monks but it really isn’t the point of the story, what made them stay is and is what gives us inspiration and food for thought, and Beauvois and his fellow film makers couldn’t have conveyed this any more perfectly than they did.