Qadeesso (The Sacred)
Director Statement The story of Qadeesho, The Sacred, is centred around the Syrian Orthodox community, a minority community in South Central Kerala, India. Indian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous…
Qadeesso (The Sacred)
Director Statement The story of Qadeesho, The Sacred, is centred around the Syrian Orthodox community, a minority community in South Central Kerala, India. Indian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in Kerala, India. According to tradition, it originated in the missions of Thomas the Apostle during the first century AD. Growing up in a Syrian Christian community in South Kerala with devout family members, I was always left in awe by the vibrant colours and intricate designs present in Syrian Orthodox churches. The Liturgy held an enigmatic aura that captivated me from an early age. Influenced by the philosophy of Oriental Orthodox Christian Theology, I was an active participant in the church for the first 18 years of my life, instilling within me a strong devotion to Christ through regular attendance at Mass and other services, reading the New Testament, and a deep reverence for icons of Christ, the liturgy, prayer, scriptures, and the wisdom of the desert fathers. This religious influence clashes with the greed and Caste system of the Syrian Christian society in Kerala, as well as with contemporary political ideas. The main character, Priest Job, embodies the values of love and prayer. He is a non-judgmental person who is influenced by the writings of desert fathers and Iconography. In his village parish, Priest Job feels pressured by economic and social forces to conform to certain patterns. However, he rejects the practical belief that one must always choose what is most "advantageous" to oneself. Instead, he considers love and free choice the most important human qualities. Sunny, the brother of Job, possesses an exceptional intellect. However, despite his intellectual prowess, he finds it challenging to develop deep connections with others. His inability to love others and trust in the divine power of God often leaves him feeling isolated and disconnected from those around him. Job is a patient and attentive listener who prefers to let people express themselves without any pressure. He has a keen ear for their words and phrases, and his way of communicating is marked by clarity, colloquialism, and a touch of irony. Job firmly advocates for Elizabeth's love affair with a man from a lower caste, while sympathising with her situation as the sister of the wealthy Maj. Cherian. Rossamma finds genuine solace in confiding in the young monk, acknowledging that he has uplifted her soul from the depths of sorrow. Despite this, her family wrongly blames Job's argument with Rossamma for her tragic death. The film unequivocally portrays Job, a priest, reflecting on his personal and theological beliefs, including his doubts about the intensity of his prayer. Fr. Kuriakose, an older priest and retired seminary principal, serves as Job's mentor and guide. Job, amid his suffering, loses all desire to eat and struggles to find the strength to pray. However, in a moment of divine intervention, he witnesses a radiant light that overwhelms his senses and causes him to lose consciousness. Job is diagnosed with cancer in its early stages. The movie possesses a timeless quality and remains exceptionally relevant in today's social and political landscape. It delves into the intricacies of Christian life through the experiences of Job Abraham, as a powerful story of innocence and vulnerability, death and loss, and the mysticism of everyday life. Job boldly questions the inequalities of caste and class within the laity and firmly believes that the true meaning of hell is to give up on love. For Job, Christ serves as a personal inspiration for his suffering humanity and his transforming divinity, making it a truly remarkable cinematic experience. P.S. Qadeesho is a passion project filmed on a micro-budget with a dedicated and committed crew
Qadeesso (The Sacred)
Drama
Film Details
Director Statement The story of Qadeesho, The Sacred, is centred around the Syrian Orthodox community, a minority community in South Central Kerala, India. Indian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in Kerala, India. According to tradition, it originated in the missions of Thomas the Apostle during the first century AD.
Growing up in a Syrian Christian community in South Kerala with devout family members, I was always left in awe by the vibrant colours and intricate designs present in Syrian Orthodox churches. The Liturgy held an enigmatic aura that captivated me from an early age. Influenced by the philosophy of Oriental Orthodox Christian Theology, I was an active participant in the church for the first 18 years of my life, instilling within me a strong devotion to Christ through regular attendance at Mass and other services, reading the New Testament, and a deep reverence for icons of Christ, the liturgy, prayer, scriptures, and the wisdom of the desert fathers.
This religious influence clashes with the greed and Caste system of the Syrian Christian society in Kerala, as well as with contemporary political ideas. The main character, Priest Job, embodies the values of love and prayer. He is a non-judgmental person who is influenced by the writings of desert fathers and Iconography.
In his village parish, Priest Job feels pressured by economic and social forces to conform to certain patterns. However, he rejects the practical belief that one must always choose what is most "advantageous" to oneself. Instead, he considers love and free choice the most important human qualities.
Sunny, the brother of Job, possesses an exceptional intellect. However, despite his intellectual prowess, he finds it challenging to develop deep connections with others. His inability to love others and trust in the divine power of God often leaves him feeling isolated and disconnected from those around him.
Job is a patient and attentive listener who prefers to let people express themselves without any pressure. He has a keen ear for their words and phrases, and his way of communicating is marked by clarity, colloquialism, and a touch of irony. Job firmly advocates for Elizabeth's love affair with a man from a lower caste, while sympathising with her situation as the sister of the wealthy Maj.
Cherian. Rossamma finds genuine solace in confiding in the young monk, acknowledging that he has uplifted her soul from the depths of sorrow. Despite this, her family wrongly blames Job's argument with Rossamma for her tragic death.
The film unequivocally portrays Job, a priest, reflecting on his personal and theological beliefs, including his doubts about the intensity of his prayer. Fr. Kuriakose, an older priest and retired seminary principal, serves as Job's mentor and guide.
Job, amid his suffering, loses all desire to eat and struggles to find the strength to pray. However, in a moment of divine intervention, he witnesses a radiant light that overwhelms his senses and causes him to lose consciousness. Job is diagnosed with cancer in its early stages.
The movie possesses a timeless quality and remains exceptionally relevant in today's social and political landscape. It delves into the intricacies of Christian life through the experiences of Job Abraham, as a powerful story of innocence and vulnerability, death and loss, and the mysticism of everyday life. Job boldly questions the inequalities of caste and class within the laity and firmly believes that the true meaning of hell is to give up on love.
For Job, Christ serves as a personal inspiration for his suffering humanity and his transforming divinity, making it a truly remarkable cinematic experience. P.S. Qadeesho is a passion project filmed on a micro-budget with a dedicated and committed crew.