The final years of Pope Francis’ pontificate saw a growing interest from the world of fiction in the Vatican: from Paolo Sorrentino’s TV series starring Jude Law (The Young Pope, 2016, and The New Pope, 2020) to the brilliant Ralph Fiennes in Conclave (directed by Edward Berger, 2024). Now that he has passed away, none other than Martin Scorsese has announced a documentary that will include conversations between the Pontiff and the acclaimed director, including what is believed to be the Pope’s last in-depth on-camera interview. The Pope died at the age of 88 on April 21.
Aldeas – A New Story will explore the work of Scholas Occurrentes, the international non-profit organization founded by the Pope himself in 2013 to promote what he called a “culture of Encounter” among youth. The organization has also been involved in producing various short films: the documentary follows the making of these films by young people from Indonesia, Gambia, and Italy.
The production of these shorts takes place under the Aldeas initiative, which Francis described as “extremely poetic and very constructive, because it goes to the roots of what human life is, human sociability, human conflicts… the essence of life’s journey.”
Scorsese said: “Now, more than ever, we need to talk to each other, listen to one another cross-culturally. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by sharing the stories of who we are, reflected from our personal lives and experiences. It helps us understand and value how each of us sees the world. It was important to Pope Francis for people across the globe to exchange ideas with respect while also preserving their cultural identity, and cinema is the best medium to do that.”
The creative team includes directors Clare Tavernor and Johnny Shipley and producer Amy Foster. Producers include Scorsese, Teresa Leveratto, Ezequiel del Corral, and Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Romilda De Luca is among the executive producers.
Scorsese met numerous times with Pope Francis over the years, and their conversations sometimes inspired the work of the 82-year-old director of The Last Temptation of Christ and Silence.
When Francis passed away, the Italian-American filmmaker remembered him by saying that “he was in every way a remarkable human being. He acknowledged his own failings,” he said. “He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an ironclad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So he never stopped learning. And he never stopped enlightening. And, he embraced, preached and practiced forgiveness. Universal and constant forgiveness.”
“The loss runs deep,” says Scorsese. “I was lucky enough to know him, and I will miss his presence and his warmth. The loss for the world is immense. But he left a light behind, and it can never be extinguished.”
The conclave to elect the new pope will begin at the Vatican on May 7.
