“Where are you, Adam?” is set in the ancient Dochiariou monastery on the western shore of Oros Athos (Oros Athos is a peninsula in northeastern Greece, east of Chalcidice, in the Greek region of Macedonia). No fewer than 40 monasteries were built here between 963 and 1545. Twenty now remain, including the Dochiariou monastery. Athos is also the spiritual and cultural centre of the Byzantine church. The monasteries possess a wealth of manuscripts and books. Artifacts include frescoes, mosaics and miniatures.

In the film, images of nature alternate with the monks’ almost incessant work and prayer. They strive for a rhythmic link between man and the natural world, referring to Adam’s ‘unspoiled’ Paradise before the Fall.

The jewel in the crown of this rich Byzantine setting, then, are the monks themselves who are followed in their daily lives. Lives that, as with any human being, are filled with joy, hope and devotion but also with disappointment and weaknesses. A central figure in the film is the elder of the monastery, Abbot Gregory. His decades of leadership have created a strong bond between him and the monks under his care.