Vaya con Dios (film)

Vaya con Dios is a 2002 German comedy film directed by Zoltan Spirandelli,^[1] and takes the form of a road film.^{[2] [3]}

Plot

The story follows the journey of three monks of the (fictional) Cantorianer Order of monks, who have until recently lived in an ancient Abbey in Brandenburg. The Cantorianer speak Latin, and maintain a religious life, in which hierarchy plays a minor role, and believe that the Holy Spirit is revealed in music, particularly in the vocals. Because of this heretical doctrine, the Cantorianer have been persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church since 1693. Only two monasteries survived, one in Brandenburg and the mother monastery Montecerboli in Italy. The German community is facing ruin, the monastery is dilapidated and run down, and the order can't pay the mortgage. On the death of the last Abbot, Stephen (Traugott Buhre), who had always shielded his monastery from the world, the abbey is dissolved and the remaining three monks, as per Stephens’s orders travel to rejoin the Italian mother monastery.

Totally unprepared for the outside world the three monks travel on foot across Europe, until they meet in their travels a young journalist, Chiara (Chiara Schoras) who offers to give them a lift in her classic Mercedes-Benz convertible. The story follows their journey where each of the monks face their own temptations. Arbo (Daniel Brühl), the youngest monk, who has lived in the monastery all his life falls in love with Chiara and struggles with betraying his vows, while the monk Tassilo (Matthias Brenner) is drawn to return to his parents' farm which his widowed mother is now running alone.

Music

In the film songs from different eras are:

• A Bon Bard, composer "Perrinet" can be heard in the opening credits.
• At the beginning of the film the monks in the (fictive) monastery of Auersberg sing Tu solus by Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez.
• From the new music, a Pater Noster setting of Igor Strawinsky - is sung by the monks walking along the train tracks.
• Before the overnight stay in the forest, the monks in a quarry sing the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew in Fauxbourdon style.
• As Gloria song of the Holy Mass with the Jesuits in Karlsruhe a three-part arrangement of Georg Neumark's 17th century hymn Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten can be heard. It was edited for the film by Tobias Gravenhorst, also supporting actor playing the organist.
• At the end of the film, in Montecerboli, again 'Tu solus.
• The actress Chiara Schoras sings music by D. F. Petersen in the credits.

Critique

Music plays an important part of the storey line, with the three monks spontaneously breaking into song throughout the film, although it would be wrong to consider the film a musical, as the music does not advance the plot as in a musical. It is rather that story involved a group of monks who sing. Similarly although it has elements of both comedy and romance it would be wrong to call the film a romcom.

Cast

• Michael Gwisdek - Benno
• Daniel Brühl - Arbo
• Traugott Buhre - Abt Stefan
• Chiara Schoras - Chiara
• Matthias Brenner - Tassilo
• Pamela Knaak - Frau Brenner
• Konstantin Graudus - Anwalt
• Remo della Rena - Italian Monk
• Giulio Alimenti - Italian Monk
• Giulio Cupelli - Italian Monk

References

External links

• Vaya con Dios on IMDb