Award winning movie director Sir Roland Joffe was present at the screening of his latest movie 'There be Dragons' in the auditorium on Monday, 21st November. The movie is based on the early life of St Josemaria Escriva the founder of Opus Dei and the inspiration behind Strathmore University among other institutions worldwide. The movie which was released this year comes at a very fitting moment when Strathmore is marking its 50 anniversary. The University invited Joffe for the screening of the movie as part its 50th anniversary celebrations.
The movie is an epic action-adventure romance set during the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War which occurred between 1936 and 1939. The story traces the lives of two young men, Josemaria Escriva (Charlie Cox) and Manolo Torres (Wes Bentley), childhood friends who are separated by the political upheaval of pre-war Spain and find themselves on opposite sides as war erupts.
Guided by love his love for God, Josemaria becomes a priest and struggles to spread reconciliation through the founding of Opus Dei, an institution of the Catholic Church that teaches that all men and women can become saints by carrying out everyday tasks.
Manolo chooses war and becomes a spy for the Nationalist side led by General Franco and is opposed to the communists under the republican banner. He becomes obsessed with a beautiful Hungarian revolutionary, Ildiko, who has joined the militia in pursuit of passion and purpose.
But when Ildiko rejects him out of love for the courageous militia leader Oriol, Manolo's jealousy leads him down a path of betrayal.
As personal and national battles rage, the characters' lives collide and their deepest struggles are illuminated through the fateful choices they make. Each will struggle to find the power of forgiveness over the forces tearing their lives and friendship apart.
“I wanted to make a film about bringing love to the world and what happens when that love goes away and when that love goes away, there is vacuum hate despair, fear. This movie is about all human beings,” Joffé said.
Joffe is a renowned movie director. He has been twice nominated for academy award for Best Director for the 1984 film 'The Killing Fields', and the 1986 film 'The Mission'. 'The Killing Fields' won academy awards for Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. The Mission won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
I think Roland's message is a lesson on how we can go beyond the ego, transcend the human flaws that we all live with and that threaten to imprison us. I think it's about how we can do that not just as people, but as societies. There are huge lessons in the film for countries in conflict said Charlie Cox who acts as St Josemaria.
This is not just a movie about a Saint. It is a movie about what it means to be human. As Joffe says, this film is about all human beings, that all human beings count…. I got sober when doing this film said Wes Bentley who acts as Manolo in 'There be Dragons'. He also starred in 'American Beauty'.
