DYK Pope Francis Was Also A Movie Star? His Film Premiered At The Cannes Film Festival

Pope Francis passed away on April 21 after fighting a critical health battle. In an official statement, the Vatican camerlengo confirmed his demise at the age of 88. The Pope was hospitalised on February 14 after he suffered a bout of bronchitis for weeks. A day before his death, he blessed thousands at St. Peter’s Square on the occasion of Easter Sunday. It is less known that the Pope has featured in a Hollywood documentary.

What movie did Pope Francis feature in? 

Pope Francis was elected to the office on March 13, 2013. In 2018, he featured in a film produced and directed by Wim Wenders. Four-time Oscar award nominee, Wenders is a German filmmaker who has bagged top prizes in film festivals around the world.  

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His documentary, titled Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, was based on the life and goals of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 266th Pope. The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and was later released in the United States of America on May 18, 2018. In the docu-film, the pope addresses the viewers directly, spreading his words of peace in the modern world. The scenes cut between direct speech and shots from his life. As per reports, the movie minted $2 million in gross collections in the USA and Canada. The movie amassed a total of  $8.5 million worldwide. 

DYK it took 2 years to complete the film on Pope Francis?

In an interview with Vatican News, at the time of the film's release, Wim Wenders spoke about the process of making the film with the Pope. He recalled, “From that first interview to the finished film, it took almost 2 years, 3 more long interview sessions and a shoot in Assisi, the hometown of Saint Francis. And months and months in the editing room, until the film had taken its final shape."

Talking about how Pope Francis co-operated in the filmmaking process, Wenders told the publication, “I was very impressed how open Pope Francis was to each question, and how directly and spontaneously he answered. And after each of our four long sessions, he took time to shake everybody’s hands, and did not make any difference between producer or director or electrician or assistant.”

The film, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video for a one-time fee of ₹99.