A film premiere of a true and touching film Of Gods and Men will be screened at the Eden Cinema in St Julians on October 20 at 7.15 p.m. in aid of the Kisumu project in Kenya.
The premiere is being organised by The Millenium Chapel Foundation in collaboration with Artificial Eye Film Company, KRS Film Distributors and the Eden Cinemas.
All proceeds will go to the religious community of the Augustinian priests and nuns who are working on the project in Kenya. This project is a similar one to that of the Tiberine Monks portrayed in the film.
Of Gods and Men is a 2010 French drama film directed by Xavier Beauvois, starring Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale. Its original French title is Des hommes et des dieux, and refers to a motto from the Bible shown at the beginning of the film.
It centers on the monastery of Tibhirine, where nine Trappist monks lived in harmony with the largely Muslim population of Algeria, until seven of them were kidnapped and assassinated in 1996 during the Algerian civil war.
Largely a tale of a peaceful situation between local Christians and Muslims before becoming a lethal one due to external forces, the screenplay focuses on the preceding chain of events in decay of government, expansion of terrorism and the monks’ confrontation with both the terrorists and the government authorities that led up to their deaths. Principal photography took place at an abandoned monastery in Azrou, Morocco with careful attention to authenticity.
The film premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Grand Prix, the festival’s second most prestigious award. It became a big critical and commercial success in its domestic market. It won both the Lumière Award and César Award for Best Film.
Tickets for the film are available against a donation of €10 from the Millemium Chapel. The film will be released in cinemas a week later. For more information call 2135 4464 or 2138 1172.