Into Great Silence

One of the more unlikely films to enthrall audiences around the world recently is Into Great Silence, German director Philip Groning's documentary about a year in the life of a cloistered Roman Catholic monastery secluded in the French Alps. Here's how the New York Times describes the film's appeal: "In an overwhelmingly noisy world, the Carthusians seek God in solitude; all things considered, including the enviable tranquility and focus of their lives, you soon understand why."

Sixteen years after asking the Carthusian monks for permission to observe their lives, Groning was finally granted access, without a crew or artificial light, to simply record their daily lives, prayers, rituals, and rare outdoor excursions. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Sundance, Into Great Silence allows viewers to glimpse the transcendent within the routines of ordinary life. (162 mins., 35mm)