Overview
- On Nov. 15 in the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV welcomed a roster of actors and directors including Cate Blanchett, Spike Lee, George Miller, Gus Van Sant, Viggo Mortensen, Chris Pine and Monica Bellucci.
- In a prepared address, he said cinema is more than entertainment, saying it “sets hope in motion,” and challenged artists to be “witnesses of hope, beauty and truth.”
- He cautioned that theaters as community hubs are in decline and urged cooperation to preserve cinema’s cultural and social value.
- The Vatican framed the event as a dialogue on how artistic creativity can serve the Church’s mission and human values, a move observers say also boosts the new pope’s visibility beyond Catholic media.
- Ahead of the audience, the Vatican released his four favorite films—It’s a Wonderful Life, The Sound of Music, Ordinary People and Life Is Beautiful—and attendees later greeted him, with Blanchett offering a bracelet and Spike Lee presenting a personalized Knicks jersey.