The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the Nun

An eccentric ex-priest's half-century-old dream to start a monastery in his Danish castle is about to come true, but then he runs into a stubborn nun.

The eccentric looking Mr. Vig walks through rooms and ponders what nuns need. Ashtrays? No, nuns don't smoke. Are the blankets thick enough? They're used to roughing it, right? The rooms belong to the Danish castle Hesbjerg, which Mr. Vig bought once upon a time with the idea of establishing a monastery there. Since 1950, he's been dreaming of this, and his dream would appear to be nearing realisation, now that an orthodox community in Russia has declared itself willing to send nuns and priests who can start the monastery and help with its development. The delegation is lead by Sister Amvrosija, who has her own ideas about how a Russian orthodox monastery should look and be run. Documentary filmmaker Pernille Rose Grønkjær follows Mr. Vig in his preparations for the nuns' arrival and throughout the monastery's first year. During the film shoot, he often asks her for advice and even physical help, and she interviews him casually, about his childhood, his views on love, religion, his dream and Sister Amvrosija. The clashes between the stubborn nun and the equally obstinate Mr. Vig make for delightful scenes, and the beautiful location of the dilapidated estate allows for some really nice cinematography.当一位怪里怪气的前牧师，要在他的丹麦城堡创建一座修道院的心愿快要美梦成真时，却遇见了一位顽固的修女……
　　
　　高龄86岁的维格先生一直以来有个梦想，他希望能将年轻时在丹麦乡间买下的这座古堡，改建成正统俄罗斯东正教修道院。为达成理想，他远赴俄罗斯向教会提出申请，于是由修女艾姆瓦罗莎领队的考察团来到丹麦，对维格先生的古堡进行评估调查，并协助他展开缓慢的翻修整建。在这个过程中老维格贡献出了他对于生命和很多现象的非凡的洞察力，并强调了他之所以执著于这个计划的原因，他说：“我需要留下一些可以永久流传的东西。”究竟维格先生能否在告别人世前完成这毕生心愿呢？
　　
　　影片记录了从维格先生为迎接修女到来做准备一直到修道院运行的第一年，前后共五年的时间。整个拍摄过程十分随意，维格先生诉说了自己童年的，爱情观，宗教观，他的梦想以及他跟艾姆瓦罗莎之间的冲突妥协。导演在贴近却自持的镜头里，细微地捕捉迟暮老人单纯认真，却又执着坚韧的生命态度，让影片散发着质朴的光芒。
　　

阿姆斯特丹纪录片电影节“尤里斯•伊文思”奖(2006)
　　美国圣丹斯电影节最佳纪录片提名影片(2007)
　　欧洲电影奖最佳纪录片提名影片(2007)
　　独立精神奖最佳纪录片提名影片(2008) Joris Ivens Award at IDFA (2006)
Best Documentary Award Nomination at European Film Awards(2007)
Grand Jury Prize Nomination at Sundance Film Festival(2007)
Best Documentary Award Nomination at Independent Spirit Awards(2008)

4444(创建者)