Essene is about daily life in a Benedictine monastery and the resolution of conflict between personal needs and the institutional and organizational priorities of the community. In the Order, where the focus of life is the relationship of individual work and worship to the community as a whole, the brethren must cope with the same issues that arise in any community: rules, work, worship, values, love, and play.
Direction
Wiseman's invisible hand shapes chaos into revelation.
Editing
Juxtapositions hit harder than any voiceover could.
Production
Universal human drama found in Gregorian chant and dish duty.
Director
Frederick Wiseman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Essene captures 1970s monastic life during Vatican II's aftermath, when ancient tradition collided with modernization pressures.
Wiseman shot 80 hours for this 86-minute film, proving monks generate more drama than you'd expect.
US
