Good Orthodox Movies?

[StGeorge]

Hello,

I'm looking for some good Orthodox movies.  I'm thinking of movies that are in English or have English subtitles. 

Documentaries and the such are also good. 

The priest who usually conducts our young adult Bible studies is going to be out for the next four weeks, and if we can't get another priest for every week, we may watch a movie. 

[Andrew21091]

The Russian movie Ostrov is excellent; it is a story of a fool for Christ who lives in a monastery in repentance after committing a terrible sin but people flock to him since he is a miracle worker and a clairvoyant. I also love the short DVD Holy Cross Hermitage has brought out called From the Little Mountain which takes you through a year at the monastery; it is very beautiful. Also, the classic Russian film Andrei Rublev is also really wonderful.

[Órëlaurëa]

The first one that leaps to mind is Ostrov. . . it is indeed a must-own movie. I look forward to hearing what others recommend.

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

Is "Ostrov" in English, or at least with subtitles?

[Alveus Lacuna]

Yes, it has English subtitles.

[Jonathan]

Most Coptic Saint movies are not very high quality, but this one is good:

http://www.orthodoxbookstore.org/lifeofthesilentmonk-dvd.aspx

[Michał Kalina]

What languages apart from English can you speak? There is one documentary about Polish monastery in Zwierki on the net but it's in Belarusian.

[Michał Kalina]

Ooops, sorry. I haven't noticed that about the language.

[Andrew21091]

Most Coptic Saint movies are not very high quality, but this one is good:

http://www.orthodoxbookstore.org/lifeofthesilentmonk-dvd.aspx

Are most of those movies on that site subtitled?

Edit: Oh, nevermind this, I see that is says under the video.

[Νεκτάριος]

What languages apart from English can you speak? There is one documentary about Polish monastery in Zwierki on the net but it's in Belarusian.

Could you please post the link where I could find this documentary?

[Michał Kalina]

Here you are: part 1, part 2, part 3.


It's a part of 5-volumed series of films about main Polish monasteries. Sorry for the bad quality.

[Νεκτάριος]

I enjoyed those as well as searching around the related videos that came with them.  Thanks! 

So is Church Slavonic the main liturgical language in Poland or is some vernacular Polish / Ukrainian / Belorusian / Rusyn used? 

[Michał Kalina]

I enjoyed those as well as searching around the related videos that came with them.  Thanks! 

I'll pass compliments to my dad. He directed it

So is Church Slavonic the main liturgical language in Poland or is some vernacular Polish / Ukrainian / Belorusian / Rusyn used? 

Yes, Church Slavonic is the main liturgical language in Poland. Polish is used in a few (4 I think) parishes in bigger cities (Warsaw, Wrocław, Białystok) and in Services for some special occasions (national feasts, services for soldiers and similar). In some parishes (more-less 30% of total)  some Polish elements as litanies and readings are put.

I don't know what about southern part of the country inhabited by Ukrainians and Lemkos. I've read that there is something what is called 'Church Slavonic with Ukrainian accent' but I have no idea what it is and how does it sound like. There are not regular Services in Ukrainian - I'm sure.

There used to be one parish which had Liturgy in Belarusian but it stopped. On some occasions there are services in other languages as Greek. This year we also had Liturgy in Serbian because of St. Savva's Day. When there are some Ukrainians feasts Ukrainian is used.

Sermons are generally preached in Polish. Oddly, where I live (Podlachia), priests use Russian with Polish elements what is an awful mixture. Ukrainians and Lemkos, as they are more nationally oriented, have sermons in their own languages.

[Νεκτάριος]

So is Church Slavonic the main liturgical language in Poland or is some vernacular Polish / Ukrainian / Belorusian / Rusyn used? 

Yes, Church Slavonic is the main liturgical language in Poland. Polish is used in a few (4 I think) parishes in bigger cities (Warsaw, Wrocław, Białystok) and in Services for some special occasions (national feasts, services for soldiers and similar). In some parishes (more-less 30% of total)  some Polish elements as litanies and readings are put.

I don't know what about southern part of the country inhabited by Ukrainians and Lemkos. I've read that there is something what is called 'Church Slavonic with Ukrainian accent' but I have no idea what it is and how does it sound like. There are not regular Services in Ukrainian - I'm sure.

There used to be one parish which had Liturgy in Belarusian but it stopped. On some occasions there are services in other languages as Greek. This year we also had Liturgy in Serbian because of St. Savva's Day. When there are some Ukrainians feasts Ukrainian is used.

Sermons are generally preached in Polish. Oddly, where I live (Podlachia), priests use Russian with Polish elements what is an awful mixture. Ukrainians and Lemkos, as they are more nationally oriented, have sermons in their own languages.

The Polish - Russian mixture seems odd to me.  Are there any actual native speakers of Russian around?  I could see it making sense if there were a lot of newly arrived migrants from Russia, but to use Russian in the heart of what has historically been Belarusian / Polish territory seems more a political statement than anything else. 

[Punch]

The first one that leaps to mind is Ostrov. . . it is indeed a must-own movie. I look forward to hearing what others recommend.

I highly recommend this movie.  Even my father, a Lutheran Pastor, was touched by this movie.

[VirSpeluncaeOrthodoxae]

There are Orthodox movies?

[Basil 320]

I know of no Orthodox movies, but movies w/scene's from Orthodox Church services come to mind. 

"The Dear Hunter," has scenes from a wedding and funeral filmed at the historic St. Theodosios Russian Orthodox Cathedral (OCA) in Cleveland, Ohio.

There are at least two movies about Nicholas and Alexandra which include scenes of Orthodox Services.

Also, there's a beautiful made for TV movie from the Kojak series.  The story is about a young Greek girl who has been separated from her mother, from an airline flight from Greece to New York.  Theodosios Kojak is seen getting out of a car, picking up a newspaper on a news stand; it's the Greek language version of "The National Herald," "Ethnicos Kirix."  The very cute little girl speaks Greek through the episode to Kojak who devotes his time to finding her mother and eating in Greek restaurants.  There's also a Kojak episode where Kojak is seen leaving the precinct announcing, "I'll be at St. Basil's Church in the Bronx."  The story involves the wedding of his niece. 

And, of course, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" shows short portions of the Baptism and Wedding Services, chanted in the Greek language, though the hymn chanted after the immersions is not "As many as have been Baptised..." 

There is another movie from the mid-'80s (+/-), about an East European Orthodox bishop, in America, with a Nazi past, (mirroring the story of Romanian Orthodox Archbishop Valerian (Trifa), of Blessed Memory.)

You may wish to view the web site of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, "www.goarch.org" for numerous instructional videos from "GoTelecom."

[LBK]

'Church Slavonic with Ukrainian accent' but I have no idea what it is and how does it sound like.

The language is Slavonic, but the pronunciation is closer to Ukrainian than Russian. For instance, Tebye, Gospodi sounds more like Tibi, Hospodi.

[Michał]

I'm looking for some good Orthodox movies.

"Exorcist II: The Heretic" (1977). It explores the theme of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (monastic life in the mountains of Ethiopia) and of the Aerial Realm of Spirits (described by Fr Seraphim Rose in his book "The Soul After Death"). The scene of performing the Eucharist featured Abuna Yesehaq of the EOTC.

[Mark of Ephesus]

Hello,

I'm looking for some good Orthodox movies.  I'm thinking of movies that are in English or have English subtitles. 

Documentaries and the such are also good. 

The priest who usually conducts our young adult Bible studies is going to be out for the next four weeks, and if we can't get another priest for every week, we may watch a movie. 

The movie "Dr. Zhivago" (1965, I think) has a great scene from a Russian Orthodox Funeral.

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

I'm looking for some good Orthodox movies.

"Exorcist II: The Heretic" (1977). It explores the theme of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (monastic life in the mountains of Ethiopia) and of the Aerial Realm of Spirits (described by Fr Seraphim Rose in his book "The Soul After Death"). The scene of performing the Eucharist featured Abuna Yesehaq of the EOTC.

Wow. I have never seen this movie. Saw "The Exorcist," but not the second one. I'll see it soon. I hope they didn't misrepresent my EOTC!

Selam

[Salpy]

I hope they didn't misrepresent my EOTC!

I've never seen the movie either, but I'll go out on a limb here and guess that they did. 

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

Yeah, you're probably right. Not a whole lot of theological accuracy or religious respect coming out of Hollywood. But, I am curious, since Archbishop Yesehaq is apparrently shown in the film. I don't think he would allow that if they didn't portray the EOTC accurately. Maybe they didn't have his permission? I hope my EOTC brothers might know more about this.

Selam

[Salpy]

"Exorcist II: The Heretic" (1977). It explores the theme of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (monastic life in the mountains of Ethiopia) and of the Aerial Realm of Spirits (described by Fr Seraphim Rose in his book "The Soul After Death"). The scene of performing the Eucharist featured Abuna Yesehaq of the EOTC.

Are you sure Archbishop Yesehaq was in the movie, or could it have been an actor dressed to look kind of like him?  He's not mentioned in the imdb page on the movie and I have trouble believing a bishop of the Ethiopian Church would consent to being in a B-movie horror flick.  Isn't this the movie in which Richard Burton dressed up like a locust?  I seem to recall hearing about it when it came out.

[Michał]

I hope they didn't misrepresent my EOTC!

There is a scene of monks dancing in an ecstatic way during the Liturgy - I don't know if it is a custom of Ethiopian monastics. But generally speaking, the movie shows the EOTC as spiritually very strong - Roman Catholic priests search guidance and Divine grace in an Ethiopian monastery.

Are you sure Archbishop Yesehaq was in the movie . . .

Yes, I am sure of that.

[Νεκτάριος]

I hope they didn't misrepresent my EOTC!

I've never seen the movie either, but I'll go out on a limb here and guess that they did. 

They did, big time.  The plot of the movie is that this Teilhard de Chardin like priest sees the real meaning of Christianity as uniting all beings in some sort of mystical communion.  They go out seeking mysticism in Ethiopia but get driven out in what was sort of a stoning.  But, there were some cool shots of the rock monasteries, and who knows, perhaps it will encourage some casual observer to do some serious research. 

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