Pope Francis, first Pope to act in a film, believed the cinema could “surprise”

Wim Wenders and Pop Francis in the documentary ‘Pope Francis: A Man of Hiz Word’ (2018). Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

Pope Francis, the Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, breathed his last on Easter on Monday (April 21, 2025). The Pope, known to be one of the most progressive pontf in the Vatican history, was also a very large fan of cinema and believed that the art was the power to “surprise” as art.

In 2023, Pope addressed members of Fondzion Ante Delo Spatcolo, an Italian film Foundation that aims to promote Christian values ​​in entertainment. Pope Francis said in the meeting, “Dear friends, the world troubled by war and so many evils require signs, do things that inspire surprise and reveal God’s miracles, which never stops loving their beings and is surprised by their beauty.” Catholic news agency,

He said, “In a fast artificial world, where humans have surrounded themselves with the works of their hands, the great risk is to lose a sense of surprise. I share this reflection with you, hand over the task to surprise you,” he said.

This is not surprising, given that Pope Francis was also the first Pontif to act in a feature film; He appeared in a cameo in 2017 indie Beyond the sunDirected by Graciela Rodriguez Gillio and Charlie Menardi.

Over the years, Pope Francis also shared a close relationship with Hollywood. She was famous with celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Orlando Bloom, Mark Wahlberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo Dicaprio and George Clooney.

In particular, in 2023, the Pope met with acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorses in the Vatican. The 80 -year -old cinema icon said the meeting inspired him to make a film on Jesus. The Scorscs said, “I have responded to the Pope’s appeal that I only know about the artists in this way: how I know: by writing a screenplay for a film about Jesus and I am starting to make it.” Flower moon killers,

Talking about the love of the heavenly pope for art, the acclaimed filmmaker Wim Vendors 2018 Documentary on the Pontif Pope Francis: A man of his wordA great starting point remains to understand the life of the heavenly Pope.

Promoting the documentary, vendors told The BBC, “The Pope has the same appearance with some of the greatest film stars that I have worked. But it comes from inside, with their beliefs and their beliefs, and their desire to talk to all of us.”

He said, “He does not have it because he is full of himself; he is incredibly humble – a real, humble man. It’s not an act; he is not an actor. He is not an actor. He is interested in everyone, and in true communication,” he said.