Actor recalls retreat at St Bueno's preparing for role in Scorsese's 'Silence'

Scorsese on set with Andrew Garfield

Actor Andrew Garfield has been speaking about his experience of undertaking a seven-day silent retreat at St Beuno's spirituality and retreat centre in North Wales, in preparation for his role in the Martin Scorsese film Silence, which is due to be released in the UK in the New Year - the Jesuit News Service reports. Scorsese has been passionate about making the film since he read Shūsaku Endō's novel of the same name back in 1989; and it is due to receive its premiere in the Vatican within the next few weeks.

The novel tells the story of Fr Sebastian Sebastião Rodrigues SJ (played by Garfield), a Portuguese Jesuit priest sent to Japan in the 17th century to minister to Japanese Catholics suffering under a brutal regime. But he is also there to find out what had happened to his mentor, a priest rumoured to have renounced the faith under torture (Fr Ferreira, played by Liam Neeson).

Describing Silence as a novel about "the necessity of belief fighting the voice of experience", Scorsese was determined to bring Jesuit authenticity to film, so he engaged as adviser Fr James Martin SJ - editor at large of the Jesuit weekly America - to work with the actors, including Garfield (best known for his role in two Spider-Man films) and Adam Driver (Star Wars - the Force Awakens). Driver plays Fr Francisco Garrupe SJ (Garrpe in the novel), Rodrigues' missionary companion in the film

To read the full interview, see: www.jesuit.org.uk/actors-prepare-st-beunos-dramatic-missionary-roles?

See also: ICN 17 November 2016 New Scorsese film 'Silence' tells story of Jesuits in Japan www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=31362