The Island (2006 Russian film)

I love it. We watched it at a "parish movie night" once and everyone liked it.

It's very good. I believe it's even available on netflix...

AV1 said:

Given this recommend from my priest, as an example of Orthodox healing in Christ. Tons of interesting facts surrounding its making, like conversion stories in the cast and crew.

Our church shows it every year.

Have any of you seen it? Thoughts?

Ostrov 2006 (aka The Island) - Official Trailer - YouTube

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Rather intensive....yet amazing film. Thanks for bringing it up CurioUs as to why you enjoyed it - as the aspect of miracles/healing stood out with regards to the monk (as it also did with other monks in the history of the Church). It wasn't with a "Rasputin" feel, thankfully - but still thought provoking...

it's amazing, love that movie. a priest I know watches it regularly with the parish at the start of Lent

AV1 said:

Have any of you seen it? Thoughts?

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I started watching it and got to the point where the monk started doing this disgusting yelling at the crying girl. At that point I turned it off and never went back to it.

Mariya116 said:

I started watching it and got to the point where the monk started doing this disgusting yelling at the crying girl. At that point I turned it off and never went back to it.

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Alas, you didn't see that this young woman was unmarried and pregnant and seeking approval to have an abortion. The monk got her to turn from considering such an act and saved her from committing murder. He may have started yelling at her but the scene ends with him expressing deep compassion towards the girl.

...

prodromos said:

Alas, you didn't see that this young woman was unmarried and pregnant and seeking approval to have an abortion. The monk got her to turn from considering such an act and saved her from committing murder. He may have started yelling at her but the scene ends with him expressing deep compassion towards the girl.

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I hated that scene for reasons that you would probably understand if you had lived in Russia for an extended period of time. It has nothing to do with why he was speaking the way he did. God, how happy I am that I do not have to live in Russia anymore.

It is a wonderful tale of repentence, joy, and trusting in God.
The monk does not fear for anything and seems to be sustained by something I perceive as graceful peace.

I would recommend this film to anyone who is exploring Orthodoxy, anyone who is Orthodox, and anyone who enjoys good cinema.

I thought the movie was excellent. The monk can seem VERY off his rocker at times, but it's always to teach a point and/or help someone.

prodromos said:

Alas, you didn't see that this young woman was unmarried and pregnant and seeking approval to have an abortion. The monk got her to turn from considering such an act and saved her from committing murder. He may have started yelling at her but the scene ends with him expressing deep compassion towards the girl.

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It has been a while since I saw it, but is the child of that girl also the crippled boy later on?


I enjoyed the relationship between him and the proud monk. The bit about the tar on the door handle. Pride is such a difficult state from which to be moved, it is also very contagious and subtle. Patience and prayer; the nourishment of the spirit of peace.

Dewi Sant said:

It has been a while since I saw it, but is the child of that girl also the crippled boy later on?


I enjoyed the relationship between him and the proud monk. The bit about the tar on the door handle. Pride is such a difficult state from which to be moved, it is also very contagious and subtle. Patience and prayer; the nourishment of the spirit of peace.

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no that is a different woman.

and I loved how he saved the soul of the Abbot. one of the great ironies is the prouder monk tells Fr Anatoly to spend time with a saint like the Abbot, and he would be saved. well, it's the Abbot that spends the night with Fr Anatoly and sees some unseen sins.

Yes, that nocturnal scene is very powerful.
Distressing, offensive even, in a way which Patristic literature challenges us directly to take control of our lives and yet, we are ever seduced by the world not to.

Looking around me I am ever aware of the vast amount of objects I own. They weigh me down and yet I find it near impossible to rid myself of them.
I own comparatively little, a small van would hold all my worldly belongings and yet, that is too many, for it is in objects that we testify our unwillingness to be truly faithful to the will of God.

Instead, it is easier to look at other people, to be affirmed in one's own righteousness, and to avoid the things in life which stimulate such awareness of the necessary things of this life.

As Christians, we have culturally accepted blinkers to wear.

This film's plot is a Frankenstein's Monster triumphalistically stitched together out of various Greco-Russian hagiographic tropes.

prodromos said:

Alas, you didn't see that this young woman was unmarried and pregnant and seeking approval to have an abortion. The monk got her to turn from considering such an act and saved her from committing murder. He may have started yelling at her but the scene ends with him expressing deep compassion towards the girl.

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This is what I thought was the best thing about this movie. The exemplified what i think "real" holiness is like. The guy is saintly, but not in the storybook, beautiful icon way. he is real. He's cranky, dirty, annoying, can be a jokester, but always holy. he was a real man with real feelings who exemplified what a real "saint" was probably like. I have always suspected that they are more like us than they are like the stories that have been crafted and edited for so many years.