Orthodox movies?

[Eugenio]

So, I've just rented "Ostrov", a recent Russian movie that is supposed to be about a monastery. (I haven't watched it yet so no spoilers!).   

Here are two questions for you all:

1) Are there any movies that you would recommend about the Orthodox Church, Orthodox Christians or their history?

2) Are there any movies out there that show the world from an Orthodox Christian perspective?

Movies can be foreign or domestic, old or recent.

[Elisha]

Not really, but kinda-sorta-related:

1) The Deer Hunter - about three guys, from some rust-belt town who go off to Vietnam.  There is a wedding in an Orthodox Church
2) My Big Fat Greek wedding (kinda self explanatory)
3) The Mission - actually Roman Catholic, but with very traditional, Orthodox-like behavior.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Anything produced by Tom Hanks.

[Orthodoc]

Not really, but kinda-sorta-related:

1) The Deer Hunter - about three guys, from some rust-belt town who go off to Vietnam.  There is a wedding in an Orthodox Church
2) My Big Fat Greek wedding (kinda self explanatory)
3) The Mission - actually Roman Catholic, but with very traditional, Orthodox-like behavior.

How about the movie 'My Life' (1993) with Micheal Keaton and Nicole Kidman.  It's about a successful Hollywood mogul in the advertisement  business.  His parents were Ukrainian immigrants and his father was a garbage truck driver.  All his life he was ashamed of his background and even changed his last name.  He spent his whole life turning his back on his ancestory and hiding it. 

He is young and his wife becomes pregnant.  They also find out he is dying of cancer.  His brother sends a wedding invitation and asks him to be best man.  He decides to go back for the wedding and introduce his wife to his family.  There is a beautiful scene of the 'Crowning' during the Orthodox wedding and reception. 

Nothing I have ever seen portrays the Slav love for family and family values as this movie!  It's a must for every Slav to see!


I won't say anymore except it is an excellent movie and bring tissues for the ending!  I give it four stars.  It's on DVD.

Orthodoc

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Synopsis:

Plot summary for
My Life (1993/I) More at IMDb Pro »
advertisementLife is going well for Bob Jones: great job, beautiful loving wife and a baby on the way. Then he finds out that he has the Dreaded Movie Disease that will leave him dead within months. He sets out to videotape his life's acquired wisdom for his child, and ends up on a voyage of self-discovery and reconciliation. Written by Reid Gagle

Bob and Gail Jones are expecting their first child, but Bob has been diagnosed with kidney cancer which will possibly take his life before his child is born. Heartbroken at the prospect of not ever getting to know his child, he decides to make a video about himself and his life so that his child will know him. Written by Murray Chapman {muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au}

Bob is dying of cancer. His wife, Gail, is expecting their first child. With a prognosis of only a few months of life left, Bob decides to record just about every aspect of his life on video tape. Written by Rob Hartill

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[Heorhij]

"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" (a.k.a. "Chariots of Fire") by Serhiy Paradzhanov (1964). Amazing scenes of Orthodox services in a small wooden church in the Carpathian mountains.

"War and Peace" by Sergei Bondarchuk (mid-1960's) - great scene of the Divine Liturgy at a big Orthodox cathedral in Moscow circa 1812. Also very moving scene of the "Panikhida" served on the battlefield in the aftermath of the battle of Borodino.

[Monk Vasyl]

Don't forget Andrey Rublev, one of my favorites.

[Heorhij]

Don't forget Andrey Rublev, one of my favorites.

Yes, of course. It's one of my all-time favorites, too (http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/01/15/andrei_rublev.html)

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