Martin Scorsese’s recent film “Silence” will be shown on Union University’s campus in Barefoots Joe on Friday evening at 6:30 followed by a faculty panel and discussion. The film, released this past January, is an adaptation of a 1966 novel by the same name, written by Shusaku Endo, a Roman Catholic Japanese author.
“This novel is really one of the finest novels in the 21st century,” said John Netland, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Union and one of the sponsors for the event. The showing has also received sponsorship from the Honors Community, the Communication Arts Department, Barefoots Joe and the School of Theology and Missions.
The story follows the journey of two missionaries who travel to Japan during the period when Christianity was outlawed. The missionaries, played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, seek to find their mentor, played by Liam Neeson, who has been missing for some time. It is a project that Scorsese spent over 25 years developing before finally filming over the past two years.
“I think on a level of filmmaking craft this is stunning,” said Netland, “I mean beautiful, powerful, haunting, troubling in all the ways that great art is, especially one raising the big questions about doubt and faith and persecution.”
Jon Hall, a sophomore French and applied linguistics major echoed Netland’s sentiments on the significance of the film.
“I think there’s not very often poignant movies that are also aesthetically beautiful,” Hall said in reference to films about faith.
The showing will be held Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Barefoots Joe on Union’s campus. The faculty forum will be composed of several professors and fans of Endo’s work, including Netland himself.
Attendance is free and open to the public.