A monastery, high up in the mountains of Algeria, back in the nineties. Eight French monks live in harmony with their Islamic fellow-villagers. However, terror and violence gradually get the upper hand in the region. Impressive, almost magical drama about values being confronted with fundamentalism.
For years, the monks have peacefully shared their lives with the Islamic population, helping them in their work, taking part in their festivities and looking after their health. When the tide turns and terrorists summon all foreigners to leave the country, the army offers protection. Despite the dangers surrounding them, the monks refuse escorted repatriation. But what is the price they will have to pay for their determination to stay? When they decide to administer medical care to a group of wounded terrorists, the infuriated authorities put pressure on them to return to France.
Des hommes et des dieux, that won the Grand Pix in Cannes, is based on the Tibhirine tragedy: on the night of 26-27 March 1996, during the Algerian civil war, seven Cistercian monks from the monastery of Tibhirine were kidnapped by terrorists.