Holy scripts, sacred sets: Pope culture in cinema

All eyes were on Vatican as the conclave commenced on May 7, shrouded in secrecy and mystery. The recently concluded papal election renewed curiosity among cinephiles to get a glimpse of the Vatican’s age-old rituals, even if fictional, and Pope Francis, who passed away at 88. The pope wasn’t merely the head of the Roman Catholic Church – he was a reformer, a humanist, a cinema lover. He had 10.3 million followers on Instagram, loved Fellini’s film La Strada and was once quoted telling the Italian Film Foundation to “reawaken wonder” in an increasingly artificial world.

From the recent Oscar-winning Conclave to Fernando Meirelles’ The Two Popes, cinema has often looked to the Vatican not just for drama, but to understand how men of faith wrestle with doubt, politics, and the weight of centuries. And in Pope Francis, they found a character unlike any other – approachable, self-aware, even funny.
“To paint the pope as some sort of Superman is offensive,” said Pope Francis, “The pope is a man who laughs, cries… A normal person.”

VATICAN INTRIGUE IN FILMS
For decades, filmmakers’ intrigue has gone beyond the Pope himself, delving into the institution of the papacy, which offers a treasure trove of visual symbolism with its exquisite robes, ornate rings, the grandeur of Vatican interiors, and old rituals.

We Have A Pope (2011)
Nanni Moretti’s comedy-drama We Have a Pope humanised the papal figure, asking what might happen if a newly elected Pope didn’t want the role.

Angels and Demons (2009)
Angels and Demons, directed by Ron Howard, explored the Vatican’s secrecy and internal politics, much to the Church’s disapproval. On the other end of the spectrum, dark-comedy The Pope Must Die satirised the Church’s power structures, depicting a mafia-run Vatican.

Conclave (2024)
Ralph Fiennes-starrer Conclave, set in the Vatican, has people craving power. For the film, the makers interviewed real Cardinals and hired a religious adviser, as the director Edward Berger found it “senseless” to seek help from the Vatican.

The Young Pope (2016)
Paolo Sorrentino’s satirical TV series took a stylised look at the emotional solitude and peculiar life inside the Vatican. The Shoes of the Fisherman, released in the late 60s, dramatised the secretive process of papal election.

The Pope’s Exorcist (2023)
The film’s poster declared, ‘Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican.’ Director Julius Avery combined realistic moments with fantasy-style horror to create a thrilling experience.

Filmmaker Martin Scorsese is producing a documentary titled Aldeas — A New Story, made in collaboration with Pope Francis. The film will chronicle the late pontiff’s work with cinema and his role in the global educational movement he founded before his death. Before his passing, Pope Francis described Aldeas as “an extremely poetic and very constructive project because it goes to the roots of what human life is .”


Films on Pope Francis’ life and work

The Two Popes (2019)

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018)

Francesco (2021)

The Letter: A Message for Our Earth (2022)

In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis (2023)

— Compiled by Arushi Jain