The recommended movies of 2011

The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is an American drama film directed by Terrence Malick with Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain. Malick's film chronicles the origins and meaning of life by way of a middle-aged man's childhood memories of his family living in 1950s Texas, interspersed with imagery of the origins of the universe and the inception of life on Earth. After decades in development and missing 2009 and 2010 release dates, the film premiered in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d'Or. The film received widespread critical acclaim, but also polarizing responses to Malick's use of technical and artistic imagery, directorial style, and fragmented non-linear narrative.

Of Gods and Men

This French movie of Xavier Beauvois,revives the memory of seven Trappist monks of the Monastery of Our Lady of Atlas in Tibhirine, Argelia. On the night of 26 of March, 1996, men of the Islamic Armed Group (GIA) invaded the Monastery and kidnapped the monks. They were beheaded days after. The chief of the group, Djame Zitouni, sent a communicate claiming the assassination of the religious men. The Trappist monks opted to stay at the side of the people of Tibhrine, as it is proven by the testament of Father Chirstian M. de Chergé, prior of the Monastery in a letter dated 1st December 1993. 'If one day would happened - and it could be today - to become a victim of the terrorism that currently seems to reach all the foreigners living in Algeria, I would like that my community, my Church, my family, remember that my life has been donated to God and to this country. That they would accept that the only Lord of all lives could not remain aloof to this brutal dead,' he introduced his words that became a message of peace, tolerance and love. The Monastery remains intact and cared by the people of Tibhrine, in a mostly Muslim country as a sign of dialogue among different faiths and a testimony of seven holy men who gave their life for the Gospel and for the Algerian people. The movie of Beauvois got already a 2010 Cannes and it is a well recommended film for this season. Seven beautiful stones for our journey with the Church during this 21st century. See this site dedicated to the seven Trappist monks of Tibhrine.

Letters to Father Jacob

A 2009 drama film of Finland-Swedish director Klaus Härö based on a story by Jaana Makkonen. It is the story of Leila (Kaarina Hazard), a pardoned convict that became the assistant of blind Father Jacob (Heikki Nousiainen). Leile, a skeptical woman, get transformed by the humble mission of Fr. Jacob that consists in answering the letters of his far parishioners.