Strict and solemnly sad, like a church service or Rembrandt's painting, the film tells the story of French monks who decided not to abandon their monastery in Algeria when another wave of Islamic extremism arose there in the mid-1990s. The film is based on real events that took place on March 26-27, 1996, during which monks from the Trappist monastery in Tibhirine were killed.
Grand Prix of the Jury and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, three Cesar Awards (including Best Film).