Pope Francis, first pope to act in a film, believed cinema could “reawaken wonder”

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

Pope Francis, beloved Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, breathed his last on Easter Monday (April 21, 2025). The pope, known for being one of the most progressive pontiffs in Vatican history, was also a huge admirer of cinema and believed that the art form had the power to “reawaken wonder.”

In 2023, the Pope addressed members of Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo, an Italian film foundation aimed at promoting Christian values in entertainment. “Dear friends, the world troubled by war and so many evils needs signs, works that inspire wonder and that reveal the wondrousness of God who never ceases to love his creatures and to be amazed by their beauty,” Pope Francis said at the meeting, as quoted by Catholic News Agency.

“In an increasingly artificial world, where man has surrounded himself with the works of his own hands, the great risk is to lose a sense of wonder. I share this reflection with you, entrusting you with the task to reawaken wonder,” he added.

This isn’t anything surprising, given that Pope Francis was also the first pontiff to star in a feature film; he appeared in a cameo in the 2017 indie Beyond The Sun, directed by Graciela Rodriguez Gilio and Charlie Mainardi.

Over the years, Pope Francis also shared a close association with Hollywood. He famously met celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Orlando Bloom, Mark Wahlberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio, and George Clooney.

Notably, in 2023, the Pope met acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese at the Vatican. The 80-year-old cinema icon said that the meeting inspired him to make a film on Jesus. “I have responded to the Pope’s appeal to artists in the only way I know how: by imagining and writing a screenplay for a film about Jesus. And I’m about to start making it,” said Scorsese, who was visiting Italy after the premiere of his Killers of the Flower Moon.

Speaking of the late Pope’s love for the art form, acclaimed filmmaker Wim Wenders’ 2018 documentary on the pontiff, titled Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, remains a great starting point to understand the life of the late Pope.

While promoting the documentary, Wenders told BBC, “The Pope has the same presence as some of the greatest movie stars I’ve worked with. But it comes from inside, from his convictions and his faith, and from his desire to talk to all of us.”

“He doesn’t have it because he’s full of himself; he’s incredibly modest – a real, humble man. It’s not an act; he’s not an actor. He’s interested in everybody he meets, and in true communication,” he added.