Pope Week 2015: Philly Theater to Screen Francis’ Favorite Movies
As the days until the pope’s visit tick by, the ripples from his imminent presence continue to be felt throughout Philadelphia. This week (September 22 – 24), the Prince Theater will be screening three of Pope Francis’ favorite movies. All three focus on the working class and the power of the human condition, themes which the pontiff has stated that he enjoys. A thread of compassion winds its way through all the features. Allison Koehler, programs director at the Philadelphia Film Society, points out that never before has the public been so interested in the personal likes and dislikes of a pontiff before.
The film Babette’s Feast is one of the pope’s favorites.
The first film is Rome, Open City. The 1945 war drama focuses on Rome when it was under Nazi siege, featuring a Catholic priest as the main character. Pope Francis told a Roman newspaper in 2013 that Roberto Rossellini’s film was one of his favorites. Koehler speculates that Francis might love the movie since his own father fled Italy due to fascism.
The second film is 1954’s La Strada. This movie by Federico Fellini was the winner of the first-ever Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. Again, the pope’s Italian heritage is evident in his choice. Central to La Strada is a love story between a circus strongman played by Anthony Quinn and a lovely girl played by Giulietta Masina. Quinn’s character also fights with a clown. Koehler points out Fellini’s focus on contrasts in visuals, such as between “sky and land and heaven and earth.” The strongman’s tough decisions form the basis of the film.
The last film is Babette’s Feast, made in 1987. Francis said this was one of his favorite films of all time back before he was elected pope. The movie, directed by Gabriel Axel and which won an Oscar, is about “two unmarried Protestant sisters in Denmark who welcome a Parisian girl into their home as their housekeeper and cook.” The girl cooks an elaborate feast for the whole village. Koehler says that the film challenges religious stereotypes.
