Pope Leo XIV has held an audience with Hollywood stars, urging actors and directors including Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, and Monica Bellucci to continue their work as pilgrims of the imagination, helping to bring hope.
The celebrity meeting was a sprinkling of stardust for a relatively new pope, providing a platform for the Catholic Church to engage with the wider world.
It also showed strong support from Leo XIV for the global film industry, as he spoke out against the troubling decline in cinema attendance.
Director Spike Lee hailed the gathering as a great day, marking the first of its kind in the Vatican.
Beneath the magnificent frescoes of the Clementine Hall, the Pope praised the power of cinema to entertain and educate, noting its capacity to amaze. However, he urged filmmakers not to shy away from tackling the world's wounds, including issues like violence and poverty. Good cinema does not exploit pain; it recognizes and explores it, he emphasized.
Six months after being elected as the first North American pope, some are eager for Leo to leave his mark, especially compared to his charismatic predecessor, Pope Francis.
During his speech, Pope Leo warned against the closure of cinemas, which he described as the beating heart of communities, and called for cooperative efforts to affirm the social and cultural value of cinema.
After his address, he personally greeted each esteemed guest, including Blanchett, who presented him with a woven bracelet symbolizing solidarity with displaced individuals.
The Pope’s heartfelt appeal and the presence of renowned filmmakers at the Vatican emphasize a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church's engagement with cultural and social issues through the lens of cinema.
