Films about hermits
Here are films of interest about hermits and eremitism, presented from most recently released to oldest. Trailers or equivalent are embedded when available. The presence of a film here does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation, though all the films present hermits in a positive and sympathetic way.
Documentary films (general)
Documentary films (biographical)
Films about solitude and silence
Feature films (fiction) - 8 films
Hermit (UK, 2012)
produced by Susannah Bragg
from the Indiegogo
website:
"Hermit" is a short fiction film about a young prodigy who,
for the past 20 years, has woven fantastic stories
of worldwide acclaim -- from the confines of her room. However, on her
28th birthday, she runs
out of ideas. Now, she must re-enter the world...
Get Low (USA, 2009)
produced by Dean Zanuck; directed by Aaron Schneider
http://www.sonyclassicals.com/getlow
from the website:
For years, townsfolk had been terrified of the backwoods recluse Felix
Bush. People say he's done all manner of unspeakable things ... Then,
one day, Felix rides into town and says he wants a living funeral, in
which anyone who has heard a story about him will come to tell it. ...
Behind Felix's surreal plan lies a very real and long-held secret that
must get out. ... But on the big day, he's the one who is going to do
the telling about why he has been hiding out in the woods.
Shaking Tokyo (Japan, 2008)
One of four films comprising Tokyo!,
by various directors
Embedding removed from: http://youtu.be/3AQgY-7jHTA
produced and directed by Bong Joon-Ho
http://www.tokyothemovie.com/
from the website:
For more than 10 years, he's been a hikikomori. He lives shut
up in his
apartment, strictly limiting all contact with the outside world to an
absolute minimum. When a pizza delivery girl faints in his home during
an earthquake, the unthinkable happens — he falls in love. Shortly
after, he learns that the girl has in turn become a hikikomori. Will he
dare cross the threshold that separates his apartment from the rest of
the world?
Ostrov (The Island) Russia, 2006)
directed by Pavel Lungin
http://www.ostrov-film.ru
from the website:
In northern Russia, on a desert island, Anatoly lives [as a hermit] in
a small Orthodox monastery, working in the boiler room. Fellow monks
are embarrassed by his strange behavior but people come from afar
believing that Anatoly is able to provide wise counsel, to cure
sickness, and to exorcise demons. Anatoly never refuses to help, but he
suffers the weight of conscience from a war-time murder.
Milarepa (Bhutan, 2006)
produced by Neten Chokling
official website now German; English language website no
longer available
from the English website:
Milarepa, one of the most widely known Tibetan saints, is also revered
for the verses he composed throughout his life, known as the Hundred
Thousand Songs of Milarepa. His faithful devotion to his teacher,
Marpa, astonishing perseverance, and ultimate attainment made his life
story into a legend, inspiring millions.
The Man Who Planted Trees (Canada, 1987)
Produced by Frédéric Back
based on the book of the same title (L'Homme qui plantait des
arbres) by Jean
Giono.
The story of a shepherd who repairs the ruined ecosystem of a secluded valley by single-handedly cultivating a forest over a thirty year period. Over 35 years, Elzeard Bouffier quietly cultivated a magnificent forest in a desolate area of southern France. The tale is told by a young traveler who happens upon the old gentleman one day, and finds himself returning to rediscover the landscape several times over the following decades.
Dersu Uzala (USSR/Japan, 1974)
Directed and screenplay by Akira Kurosawa.
Set at the turn of the twentieth century, the film tells the story of a Mongol hermit living alone in the Siberian taiga who is befriended by a Russian captain surveying the area. The captain and his soldiers take on Dersu as an invaluable guide. Dersu displays an intimate knowledge of nature and survival, and the captain comes to recognize rare gifts in the simple frontiersman. An epic scale yet modest and deliberate in its depth.
Simon of the Desert (Simón del desierto) (Mexico. 1965)
Directed by Luis Buñuel.
Despite Buñuel's reputation for anti-clericalism and atheism, this portrait of Simon Stylites, the 5th-century desert hermit who stood on a pillar most of his life, is imminently sympathetic with the protagonist's rejection of the world. "The character really moves me. I enjoy his sincerity, his lack of interest, his innocence," said Buñuel in an interview. Simon is tormented by the devil (a woman) in various guises, and black humor reveals the foibles of Simon's various visitors, though none of whom affects Simon's stolid perseverance. A bitter satire? or rather a thoughtful and provocative look at what it takes to oppose modern culture, noise, and decadence. Hermitary review.
PAGE 1:
Documentaries (general) - PAGE
2: Documentaries (biographical)
PAGE 4: Films about solitude
Other Features
Blogs: Hermit's Thatch, Hermits Around the WebHermit's Slate (forum)
Sayings, in the hermitary style