Ad Vitam Aeternam | To Life Everlasting
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▪ 2020 ▪ Color ▪
French |
Ad Vitam Aeternam | To Life Everlasting
In 2019, I met Sister Colombe and Sister Clothilde during a specific course to work among children. They invited me a few months later to their home inside the Famille Missionnaire de Notre-Dame in Brittany, France where six sisters live in the community. Four of them demonstrated their desire of a religious life and every one of them vowed chastity, poverty, and obedience. This is my story. Production Company: Différent Productions Director & Image: Justine Méry Producer: Pierre Gaffié Sound: Marie Braud-Bertil Editing: Jérome Gaussein |
INTERVIEW WITH JUSTINE MÉRY:
Your documentary is intended to reflect on the rather archaic conception we can have of this religious order. To what extent has this experience enabled you to change your perspective on the latter?
It is certain that I do not have at all the same life as the Missionary Family of Notre-Dame, but after having lived a few days with the Sisters, I understood that they were deeply happy and that the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience were not that difficult for them to live because it is the life they chose. In addition, in the event of a trial, they can talk about it among themselves and to their Superior. Also, their schedule is flexible in case of personal concerns. I felt that they were well surrounded, united like a real Family in whom we could sometimes confide in the event of a hard blow. It is very personal as a vocation and I find it very beautiful to be able to commit ourselves to God. They seem very happy and fulfilled in their life and that is why it seems important to me to respect their choice whether or not we understand their covenant with God. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
As you wrote at the start of your documentary, you decided to undertake this project out of pure curiosity but after this time of discussion with the sisters, do you think that it is the reflection of a more deep human need that you had? In you?
No, I especially tried to understand how this call could change their life at first ... For three of them this call arrived when they were students. What touched me deeply is that this call was not so obvious for them to accept nor for their families at the beginning. This experience and these exchanges with these Sisters were very enriching, I keep an incredible memory of it because apart from the shooting, we could talk about everything without any real taboo. Their generosity and their welcome have done me a lot of good, and since the end of the shooting, I remain in contact with them, I hope to be able to return to see them. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
During the editing, you alternate face-to-face interviews with extracts from life in the convent. Could you describe a typical day in the community for us?
The days at the Foyer are not identical because they change activities very regularly. Their main mission remains, above all, spiritual education which includes training in prayer and teaching (transmitting the faith, making known the spiritual heritage of the Church ... etc.) but the days are punctuated at 7 A.M. with Lauds, the Midday Office at 1:30 P.M., silent adoration at 4:30 P.M., Vespers at 6:00 P.M. and Compline at 8:15 P.M. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
(comments collected by Camille Venin)
Your documentary is intended to reflect on the rather archaic conception we can have of this religious order. To what extent has this experience enabled you to change your perspective on the latter?
It is certain that I do not have at all the same life as the Missionary Family of Notre-Dame, but after having lived a few days with the Sisters, I understood that they were deeply happy and that the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience were not that difficult for them to live because it is the life they chose. In addition, in the event of a trial, they can talk about it among themselves and to their Superior. Also, their schedule is flexible in case of personal concerns. I felt that they were well surrounded, united like a real Family in whom we could sometimes confide in the event of a hard blow. It is very personal as a vocation and I find it very beautiful to be able to commit ourselves to God. They seem very happy and fulfilled in their life and that is why it seems important to me to respect their choice whether or not we understand their covenant with God. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
As you wrote at the start of your documentary, you decided to undertake this project out of pure curiosity but after this time of discussion with the sisters, do you think that it is the reflection of a more deep human need that you had? In you?
No, I especially tried to understand how this call could change their life at first ... For three of them this call arrived when they were students. What touched me deeply is that this call was not so obvious for them to accept nor for their families at the beginning. This experience and these exchanges with these Sisters were very enriching, I keep an incredible memory of it because apart from the shooting, we could talk about everything without any real taboo. Their generosity and their welcome have done me a lot of good, and since the end of the shooting, I remain in contact with them, I hope to be able to return to see them. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
During the editing, you alternate face-to-face interviews with extracts from life in the convent. Could you describe a typical day in the community for us?
The days at the Foyer are not identical because they change activities very regularly. Their main mission remains, above all, spiritual education which includes training in prayer and teaching (transmitting the faith, making known the spiritual heritage of the Church ... etc.) but the days are punctuated at 7 A.M. with Lauds, the Midday Office at 1:30 P.M., silent adoration at 4:30 P.M., Vespers at 6:00 P.M. and Compline at 8:15 P.M. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
(comments collected by Camille Venin)
Copyright DIFFÉRENT 2021