18th May (7pm) - Essentials: The Secret Masterpieces of Cinema 3

Into Great Silence (Philip Groning / France / Switzerland / 2006 /  162 mins / subtitles)

‘Drawing comparisons to both Robert Bresson and Andrei Tarkovsky, Into Great Silence is one of those rare celluloid experiences that truly transport the viewer into another realm.’  Time Out
In 1987 Philip Groning approached the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps to ask if he could make a film about this reclusive establishment. A mere 13 years later it agreed to his request, but on condition that no crew or lights would be permitted, nor would the filmmaker be allowed to interrupt the monks’ devotions. He would, instead, have to live as they live.
Groning’s austere and remarkable portrait, a surprise hit throughout Europe, aims to record the flow of the monks' existence - the cumulative power of ritual, repetition and reiteration. Outside, the snowy landscapes become sunlit, florid scenes, then misty vistas, before returning to snowscapes again.  

For more information visit: www.icoessentials.org.uk

Tickets: £5.00 / Concs £4.00