The award-winning American director Martin Scorsese has said he is working on a new film about the persecution of Christians in 17th century Japan.
Silence stars Irish actor Liam Neeson, and is based on a book of the same name by the Japanese Christian Shusaku Endo,
It portrays Portuguese Jesuits in the 17th Century suffering persecution as they work in isolated areas of Japan.
At the time, Christians were suffering persecution and had been driven underground. The lead character, Father Sebastian Rodrigues (played by Andrew Garfield) and a companion arrive in that hostile environment to investigate reports that Rodrigues' mentor has become an apostate.
The cast also features, Tadanobu Asano, Adam Driver, and Ciarán Hinds.
Martin Scorsese has said he identifies with the issues covered in Silence, because he was brought up in a strong Catholic family.
Silence is due out in 2016.
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Article by Desmond Busteed
Desmond Busteed is a multimedia journalist for Premier.
