A lovable, eighty-two year old virgin living alone in a dilapidated Danish castle enlists the aid of an ambitious and headstrong Russian Orthodox nun in realizing his lifelong dream of transforming his vast abode into a Russian Orthodox monastery in filmmaker Pernille Rose Gronkjær's heartwarming, and often humorous, documentary. Mr. Vig is an amiable eccentric who finally finds his dream coming to fruition as controlling nun Sister Ambrosija agrees to send a group of nuns and priests to
evaluate and develop the site. An unapologetically overbearing woman who has a very precise vision of how the monastery should be run, Sister Ambrosija commences to making a seemingly-endless list of repair demands and the put-upon Mr. Vig implores the filmmaker for advice on dealing with the slightly-boorish bride of Christ. Despite their initial differences and occasional misgivings, however, Mr. Vig and Sister Ambrosija soon form a unique and exceptional bond as they work together for the good of a common cause. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Unlike far too many human-interest docs today, director Pernille Rose Grønkjær's fantastic little character portrait doesn't rest on the strength of its personality, with prudent attention paid to aesthetic nuances.
A psychologically rich documentary about the spiritual practice of generosity and the difficulty we all have in letting go of rigid ideas and habit energies which have dominated our lives.
You can't blame Grønkjær for being enamored of her subjects, but it's odd that a documentary about the faithful ultimately feels like a spiritual tourist attraction.
Anyone who has ever been involved in a dream building or renovation project will be especially fascinated with this real-life adventure-cum-fairy tale.
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