Martyred monks film nabs second prize at Cannes festival

 Who says people aren't interested in religion in film? 

According to Kaye Muir of the Times Online:

"It is the most intensely passionate film at Cannes so far this year, and the fact that the passion is religious makes it no less moving. The early-morning audience wept yesterday in Of Gods and Men, Xavier Beauvois’s picture of the monks of the Atlas Mountains in Algeria, a beautifully told story of bravery and extraordinary understanding."

CNA shares the good news:

At the end the prestigious 12-day Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, a film on a group of French monks who were martyred in Africa during the 1990s won the event's second highest honor.

“Of Gods and Men,” a film by the French director Xavier Beauvois, centers around the true story of seven Cistercian monks who were taken hostage and murdered by Islamic fundamentalists in 1996. Though the monks were told to return to their native France, the group refused and chose to remain in the conflict-torn region of the Algerian mountains, knowing that they would be martyred.
On Sunday, the movie was awarded the “Grand Prix” honor, which is the festival's second highest prize.
Kate Muir, a film critic for the London-based Times Online, called the film the “most intensely passionate” one of the Cannes event, and according to her, during the movie's premier the “audience wept.”
In her May 19 review, Muir discussed Beauvois' depiction of the monks, who lived contemplative lives in the service of the poor in the Atlas Mountains. In the film, the seven men build strong friendships with their surrounding community and live in relative peace until conflict arises between the local government and extremist groups. Though the monks are advised by everyone involved to leave, each one decides to stay and is eventually held hostage and murdered by the fundamentalists.
“The deep humanity of the monks, their respect for Islam and their generosity towards their village neighbors make (up) the reason for our choice,” stated the festival jury who issued the award. “This movie of great artistic value benefits from a remarkable group of actors and follows the daily rhythm of work and liturgy.”

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Of Gods and Men is a mystical, metaphysical and moving film. It tells us how the monks of Tibhirine have overcome their fear to remain loyal to their divine mission. How do you serve God which remaining men? Why are these monks both men and gods?

The film benefits from exceptional casting. All the actors are extraordinary. Michael Lonsdale is magnificent, Lambert Wilson is unbelievable, Jacques Herlin is deeply moving. There's a superb scene during which he laughs and cries at the same time, which demonstrates, without a doubt, the spirits.

Sorry this is all in French, but it will give you an idea of what the film is like.