Father Arsenie (2019)

• 87%
• 2019
• Documentary
• Svetlana Cemin

Father Arsenie, once a Belgradian cult figure from the '80s who has been living as a monk for the past 30 years, is engaged in restoring and creating a spiritual and cultural center in the Monastery of Ribnica, which had been destroyed by the Turks in the 19th century. Reminiscing on his complex past, Father Arsenie takes us into his daily activities as a monk: prayer, service, and culturing Orthodoxy come first. Yet, Father Arsenie is also a very talented painter, writer, and sculptor. As we listen to him answer questions on faith and finding love for God, we also discover his artistic creativity. Through Arsenie's meditative and artistic process, his journey towards Orthodoxy and his complete dedication to spiritual life unravels, bringing us to back his years as a young man in New York. This intimate portrait of a modern and unconventional monk with a higher cause is accompanied by the unparalleled beauty of the landscapes that surround the Monastery of Ribnica.