May 15, 2009

Ostrov

There is a wonderful movie made in Russia called “Ostrov” (“The Island”). Here is the synopsis for the film:

Somewhere in Northern Russia in a small Russian Orthodox monastery lives a very unusual man. His fellow-monks are confused by his bizarre conduct. Those who visit the island believe that the man has the power to heal, exorcise demons and foretell the future. However, he considers himself unworthy because of a sin he committed in his youth. The film is a parable, combining the realities of Russian everyday life with monastic ritual and routine.

I watched the movie a year or so ago, and I found it quite moving. What I particularly enjoyed is how it depicted Christianity as practiced in Russia. We have a tendency to assume that all disciples of Christ practice their faith as we do here in modern America, as least generally. However, in the history of the Church and throughout the world, the Christian Faith has been lived in widely divergent ways while remaining true to the Gospel.

I just discovered that this movie is now available on YouTube in twelve parts:

(I am assuming that the YouTube version is not violating any copyrights, but if it is, I imagine YouTube will take it down shortly – in any case, renting or purchasing this movie is well worth the cost).

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