Martin Scorsese
Silence

S I L E N C E

Directed by Martin Scorsese

: : : Silence is a 2016 film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Liam Neeson as three Jesuit fathers persecuted in Japan for their Christian faith.

Plot Two Portuguese Jesuit fathers travel to Japan with the intent of finding their mentor, Father Ferreira, and establishing the Christian faith on the islands. They soon become aware, and fall victim to, the dreadful persecutions that the shogunate applied to the converts to Christianity. : : : (source Wikipedia)

Needless to say, for those who already know me, that I will be brief…

The film lasts 2 hours and 40 minutes (maronnadocarmine and despite dying to see it, it felt like nothing less than a nice hammer blow to the balls).

After the first hour spent watching the two protagonist Jesuits (Father Sebastião Rodrigues and Father Francisco Garupe who came to find information about the fate of Father Cristóvão Ferreira) hiding as soon as they arrived in Japan due to the repression against the Christian faith, we witness the execution of 3 converts who refuse to renounce (“kurabu”) in exchange for their lives.

Meanwhile, we reach two hours into the film and none of the Japanese Christians still want to renounce (“kurabu” in Japanese) except Kichijiro, their initial guide and former Christian (who has already done it at least three times without much thought after witnessing the executions of his entire family, peasants, and one of the two Jesuits, Father Francisco Garupe, his fellow believers, just to save his a… ehm, life).

Finally, after 120 minutes, we see Liam Neeson arriving in the role of Father Cristóvão Ferreira (alive and well for having renounced at the time and married a Japanese woman…) who suggests to the good Jesuit (now a prisoner of the authorities) to renounce (do “kurabu”) to save the lives of other local Christians and his own as well.

Ok, staying true to my commitment to brevity, I will not touch on what the not-so-convinced Jesuit (still a prisoner) will decide concerning the “kurabu”, but I want to recall just two of the last interesting passages in the film:

I° - The Japanese inquisitor, facing the “kurabu”, will say that “it's just a formality” (ehm, which, however, can save or end one’s life…)

II° - The thought expressed by Father Sebastião Rodrigues addressing God towards the end (which I awaited with impatience after 160 long minutes) and that is: “it was in silence that I heard Your voice”.

p.s. In hindsight, I can easily say that if I ever happen to come across this beautiful film on TV, I’d change channel or turn it off immediately!