SILENCE, Martin Scorsese 2016

MANAGED TO SILENCE MY MIND

In one prayer Andrew Garfield’s character says he heard Gods voice in the silence. After having watched SILENCE I heard no voices of whomsoever, but I was calm and attentive. SILENCE managed to silence my mind. Maybe this is the ideal preparation for contemplation, for prayer, and, ultimately, for death and what it might bring.

There is a clear construct of oppositions like Buddhism vs. Christianity, perception vs. imagination, protectionism vs. imperialism, immanence vs. transcendence or the denial of vs. the faith in the creative power of symbols. But it’s hard to figure out the films own attitude
regarding these sides, and this is what makes it a work of art in contrast to a work of religious or political propaganda. The conflicts within the story and its characters are numerous and dig deep, and the filmmakers manage to tell them without praising one side and condemning the other side. At the same time it is never cold and analytical, but heart filled with compassion and empathy. This is quite unusual and I can only take my hat off to this kind of old fashioned, humanistic artistry.