Of Gods and Men

Set in an Algerian monastery uncomfortably situated in a predominately Muslim area, Of Gods and Men is a consciously spare film about how a group of monks handle the question of whether or not they should relocate as faith-based trouble brews—and ultimately becomes a very real possibility. It isn’t often that a film’s primary action is quiet contemplation, but the heartbeat of this film is more the faith and focus of the monks, and not the real events on which it is based. The result is surprisingly compelling.