Faith

They call themselves “Warrior Monks” and “Guardian Mothers”. The martial arts champions who are members of an Italian sect living together in a monastery are led by a Kung Fu master. They are like Shaolin monks, but with a Catholic twist. Utterly devoted to their faith, they train constantly so they are able to combat evil in the name of the Father.

Director Valentina Pedicini was granted access to a way of life defined by discipline, and the resulting black & white film is surprisingly intimate. It’s truly astonishing that Pedicini has managed to get so close to such an isolated sect. These people have no secrets for each other or for the camera. Everything revolves around blind devotion, and Faith invites us to be part of that.