background image filter

.module {
  position: relative;
}
.module::before {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; left: 0;
  width: 100%; height: 100%;
  background-image: url(graphic-to-be-filtered.jpg);
  filter: grayscale(100%);
}
.module-inside {
  /* This will make it stack on top of the ::before */
  position: relative;
  /* OR */
  z-index: 1;
}