Story Overview

Silence (2016) follows two young Portuguese Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francisco Garrpe, who travel to 17th-century Japan after hearing disturbing reports that their former mentor, Cristóvão Ferreira, has renounced his Christian faith under persecution. Determined to uncover the truth, the priests embark on a perilous journey that tests both their physical endurance and spiritual convictions.

Upon arriving in Japan, Rodrigues and Garrpe encounter secret Christian communities forced to practice their faith in hiding. These believers live under constant threat from authorities who view Christianity as a dangerous foreign influence. As the priests continue their mission, they witness brutal punishments inflicted on those who refuse to abandon their beliefs, forcing them to confront the moral cost of faith and leadership.

The film gradually narrows its focus to the inner struggle of Rodrigues, portrayed by Andrew Garfield, as he grapples with doubt, silence, and the apparent absence of God amid suffering. His spiritual crisis deepens when he comes face to face with Ferreira, played by Liam Neeson, whose apostasy challenges everything Rodrigues believes about martyrdom, compassion, and religious truth.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Silence is adapted from the 1966 novel by Shūsaku Endō and explores themes of belief, betrayal, and cultural collision with stark restraint. Unlike the earlier adaptation Silence (1971), the film emphasizes moral ambiguity and the torment of conscience, presenting faith not as triumph but as a profoundly personal and painful choice.