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Silence (2016 film)

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Silence
Company typeFilm
IndustryFilm industry
Founded2016
FounderMartin Scorsese (director)
Key people
Martin Scorsese (director and co-screenwriter), Jay Cocks (co-screenwriter), Irwin Winkler (producer), Randall Emmett (producer), George Furla (producer)
ProductsHistorical epic drama film

Silence is a 2016 historical epic drama directed by Martin Scorsese, with a screenplay by both Jay Cocks and Scorsese, adapted from the 1966 novel authored by Shūsaku Endō. This third cinematic rendition features performances by Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds, and Liam Neeson. The narrative centers on two Jesuit priests from the 17th century who journey from Portugal to Edo-era Japan through Macau in search of their missing mentor while aiming to propagate Catholicism. This film marks Scorsese’s third exploration of religious figures grappling with faith, following The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Kundun (1997).

The project’s development phase extended over more than twenty years, encountering numerous obstacles. After finishing The Wolf of Wall Street in early 2013, Scorsese dedicated himself to directing Silence. By April 2013, production was slated for 2014, with financing provided by producers such as Irwin Winkler, Randall Emmett, and George Furla through Emmett/Furla Films. Principal photography was planned to take place in Taiwan.

As a long-cherished endeavor for Scorsese, Silence had its premiere in Rome on November 29, 2016, followed by its U.S. release on December 23, 2016. Although it received widespread critical praise—being selected among the year’s top ten films by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute and earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography—it failed to recoup its $50 million budget, generating $24 million worldwide.

Plot

Portuguese Jesuit priest Cristóvão Ferreira is compelled to witness the torture of Japanese Christians who refuse to abandon their faith.

Years later, at St. Paul's College in Macau, Italian Jesuit Alessandro Valignano is informed that Ferreira has renounced his faith while in Japan. Ferreira’s Portuguese disciples, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francisco Garupe, embark on a mission to locate him, accompanied by Kichijirō, a fisherman who betrayed his beliefs to survive after his family was executed.

In the village of Tomogi in 1639, the priests discover Christians forced into hiding due to severe persecution. Authorities compel villagers to trample on a fumi-e, an image depicting Christ; those who resist are drowned and cremated. Garupe departs for Hirado Island, while Rodrigues heads to Gotō Island, where Ferreira was last reported.

Rodrigues arrives at a devastated village; in 1643 Kichijirō betrays him to the officials, resulting in his capture in Nagasaki. The shogunate’s Inquisitor, daimyo Inoue Masashige, forces Rodrigues to endure witnessing tortures. Among the victims is Garupe, who refuses to recant and drowns while attempting to rescue a woman. Rodrigues’ conviction begins to waver. When Kichijirō is imprisoned alongside him, Rodrigues hears his confession.

Rodrigues encounters Ferreira, who has adapted to Japanese life after abandoning Christianity under torture to protect others, convinced that Christianity cannot survive in Japan. Rodrigues observes five Christians being tortured; although they have apostatized, they continue suffering until he too renounces his faith. Battling intense guilt, Rodrigues perceives what he believes is Jesus granting permission and steps on the fumi-e.

Taking on a Japanese identity and marrying locally, Rodrigues assists Ferreira in hindering Dutch merchants from smuggling Christian artifacts into Dejima. He experiences Jesus affirming shared suffering rather than silence.

Despite having apostatized, Rodrigues must demonstrate that he no longer secretly practices Christianity. Kichijirō is arrested with a Christian talisman and subsequently disappears. Rodrigues spends the remainder of his life in Japan; following his death in 1685, his wife places a simple crucifix—given when he first arrived in Tomogi—in his hand as a symbol of enduring faith.

Cast

  • Andrew Garfield portrays Sebastião Rodrigues, a character inspired by Giuseppe Chiara, who later adopts the name Okada San'emon. To prepare, Garfield engaged in a year of intensive study with Jesuit priest James Martin, immersing himself deeply in Jesuit traditions and practices. This preparation was deemed crucial by the producers to maintain authenticity, and Garfield lost forty pounds under Martin’s guidance.[1]
  • Adam Driver plays Francisco Garupe. Both Driver and Garfield participated in a week-long silent prayer retreat organized by Martin, enhancing their understanding of Jesuit spirituality. Driver shed nearly fifty pounds as part of his role preparation.[1]
  • Tadanobu Asano appears as The Interpreter
  • Ciarán Hinds takes on the role of Jesuit Alessandro Valignano and provides the voice of Jesus
  • Liam Neeson embodies Jesuit Cristóvão Ferreira, who later becomes Sawano Chūan
  • Shinya Tsukamoto portrays Mokichi. Tsukamoto highlighted his character’s importance to the film’s themes and committed to fasting and social withdrawal during shooting, maintaining his immersion even between scenes.[2]
  • Issey Ogata plays Inoue Masashige, modeled on the 17th-century Grand Councilor ōmetsuke
  • Yōsuke Kubozuka features as Kichijirō
  • Nana Komatsu acts as Mónica (Haru)
  • Ryo Kase portrays João (Chokichi)
  • Katsuo Nakamura appears as Monk
  • Yoshi Oida plays Ichizo
  • Béla Baptiste represents Dieter Albrecht, a character based on Engelbert Kaempfer, a chronicler for the Dutch East India Company

Development

In an interview from December 2016, Scorsese disclosed that he first encountered Shūsaku Endō's novel Silence in 1989 while in Japan at Akira Kurosawa’s invitation to act as Vincent van Gogh in Kurosawa’s film Dreams (1990). Shortly after, he acquired the rights to adapt the book into a film.

Describing Silence as a "passion project," Scorsese revealed that development began back in 1990, two years following his religious-themed film The Last Temptation of Christ. When questioned about his enduring fascination, he attributed it to an obsession fueled by profound questions and a gripping true story with suspenseful aspects.

In 2009, Scorsese and his team traveled to Nagasaki—the novel’s primary setting—for location scouting, complemented by additional scouting trips to Canada. Despite this progress, the project stalled in development limbo as Scorsese shifted focus to Shutter Island and Hugo. By December 2011, he confirmed that Silence would be his next directorial effort, although he briefly prioritized directing The Wolf of Wall Street. Nonetheless, his publicist insisted that Silence would precede that film.

In May 2012, Cecchi Gori Pictures came onboard as producers, elevating Silence to the top of their production slate despite earlier legal conflicts. After completing work on The Wolf of Wall Street in January 2013, Scorsese fully dedicated himself to advancing Silence. On April 19, 2013, production was slated for 2014 with financing provided by producers Irwin Winkler, Randall Emmett, and George Furla through Emmett/Furla Films; Corsan Films also contributed funds. Filming locations were planned for Taiwan.

Producer Irwin Winkler explained that Taiwan was chosen primarily for its cost-effectiveness: "[The movie] was very expensive... We found great locations around Taipei at very cheap prices." Due to budget constraints, key cast and crew members—including Liam Neeson, Adam Driver, Scorsese himself, and Winkler—accepted minimum salaries.

Jesuit priest and scholar James Martin collaborated closely during production alongside Catholic expert Liam Brockey to ensure the depiction of Jesuit characters remained accurate and respectful.

Legal disputes

Before production on Silence commenced, Martin Scorsese encountered a legal dispute. In August 2012, Cecchi Gori Pictures initiated a lawsuit against him, alleging a contract violation concerning the film. The company asserted that Scorsese had committed in 1990 to direct Silence following the completion of 1997's Kundun, with an investment exceeding $750,000. Nevertheless, Scorsese prioritized projects such as Bringing Out the Dead, Gangs of New York, and The Aviator instead.

Further delays were reported in 2004 when Scorsese allegedly agreed to postpone Silence to work on The Departed and Shutter Island, and again in 2011 to focus on Hugo. Cecchi Gori Pictures claimed he had consented to provide "substantial compensation and other valuable benefits," including payments ranging from "$1 million to $1.5 million per film plus up to 20 percent of Scorsese's backend compensation." The complaint accused Scorsese of failing to remit fees for Hugo and breaching contractual terms by producing The Wolf of Wall Street prior to completing Silence. Representatives for Scorsese dismissed these allegations as a "media stunt" and an unfounded lawsuit. The case was resolved on January 17, 2014, with the settlement details kept confidential.

Screenwriting

This motion picture represents the second cinematic interpretation of Shūsaku Endō's novel, following the 1971 adaptation directed by Masahiro Shinoda. Scorsese initially drafted the screenplay in 1991 alongside his frequent collaborator Jay Cocks but remained dissatisfied, revising the script over a span exceeding fifteen years. Van C. Gessel, Endō's official translator who rendered eight of his novels into English, contributed as a consultant. The finalized screenplay received commendations for its faithful representation of Endō's original work.

Casting process

From 2009 through 2010, discussions involved Daniel Day-Lewis, Benicio del Toro, and Gael García Bernal potentially starring; however, by 2011 all had withdrawn from consideration. In May 2013, Andrew Garfield and Ken Watanabe were confirmed, with Watanabe slated to portray the priests' interpreter; scheduling conflicts later necessitated his replacement by Tadanobu Asano in January 2015. Additionally, in January 2014, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson joined the cast—Driver portraying Francisco Garupe, the second Jesuit priest, and Neeson assuming the role of mentor Cristóvão Ferreira.

To embody his character authentically, Andrew Garfield completed the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, reflecting afterward that this experience enriched his personal spiritual connection to Jesus Christ.

Production

Initially considering filming in 3D format in January 2012, Scorsese ultimately decided against it. Location scouting commenced in Taiwan by February 2014, with principal photography originally scheduled for summer but subsequently postponed until early 2015. Shooting took place in Taiwan from January 30 through May 15, 2015, utilizing studios located in Taipei and Taichung, alongside various sites within Hualien County.

On January 28, 2015, a structural failure occurred at Taiwan's CMPC Studios when a ceiling collapsed, resulting in one fatality and injuries to two contracted personnel.

For the film’s visual tone, Scorsese collaborated with cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, drawing inspiration from Baroque painters. The color scheme evolved from blue and cyan hues toward golden-yellow shades to signify narrative progression. Prieto captured landscapes and performances on traditional film stock while opting for digital cameras during nocturnal sequences.

Inconsistent weather conditions posed lighting challenges; Prieto mitigated this by shooting certain scenes at night to simulate dusk or sunset atmospheres. To replicate moonlight effects, he utilized an array of blue-green lights known as the "UFO," mounted on a crane apparatus.

Music

The score for the film was created by Kim Allen Kluge, formerly the music director of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, alongside Kathryn Kluge. The soundtrack incorporates ambient sounds of the night and ocean throughout several compositions. Released on February 17, 2017, by Rhino Warner Classics (part of Warner Music Group) under ASIN B01N7S3IB9, the album runs for 51 minutes and contains 25 tracks. The centerpiece is a 12-minute extended piece entitled "Meditation."

Release

During the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Martin Scorsese secured multiple distribution agreements. In July 2014, Paramount Pictures obtained the rights for the U.S. and Canada, aiming for a release toward the end of 2015. By March 2016, editing was in progress with a tentative release planned for year-end; in August, Scorsese announced that post-production would conclude by October, with Paramount determining the final release date. The initial trailer was unveiled on November 22, 2016.

The film had its world premiere at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome on November 29, followed by a special screening at the Vatican. It opened in four theaters on December 23, 2016, to meet eligibility requirements for the 2017 Academy Awards and expanded to 1,580 theaters by January 20. Despite this wider release, box office turnout remained modest during awards season.

Home media

The movie became available on Blu-ray and DVD on March 28, 2017, with digital streaming options released earlier on March 14, 2017.

Box office

Silence earned $7.1 million domestically in the United States and Canada, and $16.6 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $24 million against an estimated production budget between $40 and $50 million.

In North America, its expansion coincided with titles such as Monster Trucks and Patriots Day. Expectations forecasted $4–6 million from 747 theaters over the four-day Martin Luther King Jr. weekend; however, it debuted with only $1.9 million ($2.3 million total), ranking fifteenth at the box office. Analysts attributed this underperformance to its lengthy runtime of 161 minutes and lack of significant award nominations to generate buzz. Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Silence screened in fewer venues amid a saturated market of adult dramas and limited viewer interest in its thematic content.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 83% based on 286 reviews, averaging a score of 7.60/10. The consensus summarizes: "Silence concludes Martin Scorsese’s decades-long artistic pursuit with a contemplative and emotionally profound examination of spirituality and human nature, ranking among his finest efforts." Metacritic assigns a score of 79 out of 100 from 48 critics, denoting "generally favorable reviews." CinemaScore audience polling gave it an average grade of "A." Many critics regard it as one of Scorsese’s most accomplished works.

Matt Zoller Seitz from RogerEbert.com awarded four stars out of four, describing Silence as a monumental and demanding film that compels viewers to engage deeply with its themes. Richard Roeper also granted four stars, emphasizing the film’s intense exploration of the tension between sacred commitments and practical morality.

Critics including Justin Chang and Mark Kermode lauded Scorsese’s partnership with his production crew and cast. Chang praised it as an "anguished masterwork," highlighting key contributions from editor Thelma Schoonmaker, production designer Dante Ferretti, and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto. Kermode commended the Japanese supporting actors for enriching the film’s complexity.

The film’s thematic richness received widespread acclaim. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it one of Scorsese’s "most spiritually affecting films," while Jesse Cataldo from Slant Magazine applauded its nuanced meditation on faith. Alissa Wilkinson at Vox described it as "among the finest religious films ever produced." John Ehrett from The Federalist labeled it a "must-watch masterpiece" that sets a new standard within religious cinema.

Several reviewers placed Silence within Scorsese's broader legacy, drawing parallels to Ingmar Bergman’s work. Ty Burr of The Boston Globe regarded it as a "self-aware masterpiece" forming part of an unofficial trilogy centered on faith. Joshua Rothkopf from Time Out London awarded five stars and compared Scorsese to filmmakers who confront religion’s complexities head-on. Emma Green at The Atlantic praised its artistic theological approach. Robbie Collin from The Telegraph gave five stars, calling it a harsh spiritual epic demanding lifelong expertise. Brian Truitt at USA Today noted it as one of Scorsese’s most introspective and profound projects.

Nonetheless, some critiques were voiced. Peter Debruge of Variety described the film as "excessively long" with moments that fail to engage fully, appealing neither to devoted Scorsese fans nor broader audiences entirely. John Patterson from The Guardian found it visually stunning but inert and overly reverent, suggesting its length impeded accessibility.

In 2023, Thierry Frémaux, director of the Cannes Film Festival, revealed he advised Scorsese in 2017 that premiering Silence at Cannes might have enhanced its reception.

By 2025, Silence ranked number 207 on The New York Times Readers’ Choice list titled "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century."

Top Ten Rankings

Silence was featured prominently on many American film critics' top ten lists for the year 2016.


Industry Response

At the 89th Academy Awards, the film earned a nomination for Best Cinematography. Additionally, the American Film Institute honored it as one of its ten Movies of the Year.

Analysis

Director Martin Scorsese identified conveying the spiritual dimensions inherent in Endō's novel as one of the film’s most demanding tasks. An early draft by Scorsese and Jay Cocks was discarded due to its insufficient sensitivity toward these spiritual aspects. It required several years before Scorsese developed a method that genuinely captured the spiritual transformations portrayed.

From a theological perspective, the film centers on themes of priestly sacrifice and the intricate nature of faith. Caesar A. Montevecchio pointed out the pivotal moment when Rodrigues steps on the fumi-e as a profound demonstration of faith’s true object—Christ symbolizing self-emptying compassion rather than victorious determination.

David Sterritt interpreted the film’s depiction of God's "silence" not as absence but as a presence accompanying suffering and hope amid uncertainty. This motif aligns with existential theology and mirrors fundamental human anxieties.

See also

External links

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