Of Gods and Men

French monks living in a mountain village in Algeria have to decide whether to stay as the armed conflict in the country comes nearer. The villagers depend on their clinic. The film does not make the decision in one scene; the narrative shows weeks of meetings, votes and changes of mind one by one. The silent passage in which they listen to music at the table is its most cited scene. Xavier Beauvois directed, with Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale. It follows the real events at Tibhirine in 1996; responsibility for what happened is still disputed, and the film does not enter that argument. Who it's for: those who like quiet drama built on faith and responsibility. Who it's not for: viewers wanting tension; almost all of it takes place in the monastery and it does not show the violence.