Into Great Silence

Into Great Silence is a multiple award -winning documentary film by German director Philip Gröning from 2005, which shows life in the Carthusian Monastery of La Grande Chartreuse. According to the spirituality of the Order is hardly spoken throughout the film, but at times clearly intermediate texts are displayed. Also on film music is entirely omitted. There is only the singing of the monks praying, who also became the first human word that one hears about 20 minutes after the film starts.

Nearly six months Philip Gröning lived like a monk in the Carthusian monks at the Grande Chartreuse monastery, the mother monastery of the order to make this film. The finished film had a length of 169 minutes. The total production time of the film stretched from the first idea about how to contact, preparation of the commitment - 16 years after the request - but over almost 21 years.

The jury of the European Film Academy based its price decision as follows: " Philip Gröning's meditative film touches the mysterious world of faith and our need for peace as opposed to modern life. "

Because of the constraint to be allowed to film only without a team in the monastery, located Groening decided to use a Sony HDW F -900 camera with which he was able to record the film completely digital.

Awards

• The film was nominated for Best Documentary for the German Film Prize 2006.
• He won in 2006 a prize at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for another.
• European Film Awards 2006 for best documentary of the year.