Of Gods and Men

Of Gods and Men (Des hommes et des dieux, 2010) is a French historical drama you can watch online on iFILM. Director Xavier Beauvois based the film on the true story of eight Trappist monks at the monastery of Tibhirine in Algeria, where armed conflict tore through the region in the mid-1990s. Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale lead an ensemble that makes silence carry as much weight as dialogue.

The monks have lived among their Muslim neighbours for decades — treating the sick, sharing harvests. When jihadist violence edges closer, the community of eight must each decide whether to leave or stay. The film does not dramatise that decision with speeches. It finds it in a shared meal, in a prayer held longer than usual, in a glance between two old men who already know the answer.

Beauvois took the Grand Prix at Cannes 2010, and the film later claimed the César for Best Picture. It moves slowly and asks hard questions it never fully answers — which is exactly what makes it linger. Stream Of Gods and Men (2010) online on iFILM.