METEORA

Greece, 2012, 882 minutes, Colour.
Theo Alexander, Tamila Koulieva.
Directed by Spiros Stathoulopoulos.

Most of us are aware of the monasteries of Mt Athos, those loft retreats on the tops of Greek mountains, centres of Greek Orthodox monasticism. Most of us may not be aware of other monasteries in the plains of Thessaly in northwestern Greece. Again, monasteries built, seemingly impossibly on the tops of rock formations rising from the plains, mountains as well as very high, thinner rocks which point like fingers to the sky (or, which may be forgiveable thought, since this film explores the carnal desires of a monk and a nun, phallic symbols).

At times Meteora is magnificent to look at, the natural beauty and extraordinary formations as well as fascinating glimpses of sky at different times of day. It is also amazing at times to look at as, after the opening credits and their iconic power, the film uses animation to further develop the plot as well as to suggest mythical and symbolic stories and themes. The icons also offer a clue as to how to interpret the action and characters. While they may be easily dismissed as artificial and not deeply developed, it could be argued that we should be looking at them as moving icons, gaze at them, as the protagonists do with the icons in their cells. We gaze at them for meaning rather than mere psychological insights.

As mentioned, this is a story of a monk and a nun and their desires. Easy film material these days in terms of church and sexuality. However, it is all presented her in the context of monastic vows and spirituality, in terms of ascetic practices and physical penance to control temptation (and the consequent suppression of instincts which leads to rigid repression which can shatter at short notice – and does). To this extent, the film is an interesting contribution to reflections on religious celibacy, its possibilities and impossibilities.

The monk (not necessarily ordained) has been in his community on top of his mountain for years. He is devout in prayer and rituals, assisting at liturgy. The nun is a visitor from Russia. The relationship is suggested immediately with an exchange of neck chains. Then the monk uses his mirror reflections to contact the nun. He also prepares a picnic meal of goat (which somebody reminded us is an animal symbol of lust), which they enjoy with wine, talk flirtatiously but raise the theme of despair and freedom – that all sin can be forgiven except despair. The monk physically accosts the nun, but they then go to their cells and pray again.

There follows an explicit sexual scene with the nun in her room. The writer-director could be accused of chauvinist sexism in not presenting the monk who seems more driven than the nun. As expected, their love/lust is consummated. Must they both then leave monastery and convent?

Throughout the film, Psalm 23 is interspersed in its entirety, offering a scriptural comment on the relationship and their stands before God. Icons, liturgy and communion are featured with a background score of arias and chant.

While the animation literally shows a fall as well as the nun’s previously unseen hair growing like Rapunzel’s to form a bridge between the monk and nun, the most striking is the sequence where the monk goes symbolically into a labyrinth and is lost. At the centre, he finds an icon of Christ crucified. He hammers nails into Jesus’ hands and blood not only flows but gushes forth, flooding the labyrinth, panel by panel, the monk floating on the blood until he is out and saved. He and the nun appear as small figures in the ocean of Christ’s blood which is poured out in abundance.

To say, as some have said, that this is simply the old story of forbidden love, is to focus on the obvious but not on the abundant visual and musical detail that invites us to contemplate religious love and love of God, desire and celibacy, infidelity in vows, God’s fidelity and an abundance of forgiveness for those who do not despair.

One credibility challenge is that the monk looks like a bearded movie star, cast for being handsome rather than for a life in a monastery. The actress playing the nun looks maturely beautiful. And then the press notes tell us that the actor for the monk, Theo Alexander, has been a regular on television’s True Blood for some years!

1. The experience of the beauty of Meteora? The religious background? Asceticism and repression? The nature of monastic life?

2. The Greek Orthodox tradition, the monasteries in remote places, on the tops of mountains? The fields below, the crops, the herds? Religion in this rural setting? Isolated?

3. The monasteries, reclusive, prayer and contemplation, the icons, celebrations of liturgy, the congregation, the rituals?

4. The credits, the sketches, the animation? The icons? The tone, the musical score, the drumming and the knocking? The use throughout the film of music, the aria, the chant? The animation of the characters and events? Symbolic use of animation: the nun’s hair and its crossing the gulf between monasteries, and his the monk’s traversing the gulf? The sequence of the labyrinth, the nailing of Jesus’ hands, the blood, filling the labyrinth, the monk’s ride to freedom, the vastness of the blood, the two caught in the blood? The animation – and its enhancing the realism?

5. The opening exchange, the recitation of Psalm 23, the verses interspersed throughout the film? The exchange of neck chains? Theodore and his years as a monk? Eurania and her being a Russian visitor? Audience expectations of the relationship?

6. Theodore’s life, his cell and the icons, its simplicity, his prayer, the candles? His assisting at the liturgy? His going up and down the steps? The scenes with the community? On the ground, the flautist and their discussions about the meaning of life? His talking with the goatherd? The skinning of the goat, his taking the meat for stew, his culinary skills? Invitation to Eurania to the picnic? The enjoyment of the picnic, drinking, eating? Flirtatious? His communicating with Eurania via the mirrors? The reflections of the sun? His approach to Eurania, her response and rejection? Their talk about language, translation of words, despair, freedom? The return to the monastery (the steps and Eurania being lifted in the rope?

7. Eurania, in herself, her prayer, the close-up of her sexual experience? Exploitative or not?

8. Theodore and his visit to the hermit, helping him, the ascetic way of life?

9. The culmination of the affair, its effect on each of them?

10. The decision that there should be no despair, the gift of freedom, the culmination of the psalm?

11. The background of life below the monastery and convent, the getting of bread, lifting it up, life in the convent, the superior? The ordinariness – but the asceticism, the repression? The breaking of repression?

12. The film as Greek in tone and tradition?

13. The monasteries, the style of life, the style of Christianity, the emphasis on prayer and contemplation, the images, asceticism and repression, the breaking out of urges and dealing with them? A critique of the monastic way of life in the 21st century?