Martin Scorsese's upcoming documentary will feature Pope Francis's 'ultimate interview'

When the Pope of Italian-American cinema pays tribute to the Holy Father. An article in the American media Variety published on April 30 reports that Martin Scorsese will produce a documentary on the late Pope Francis. Entitled Aldeas - A New Story (in French, Aldeas - A new story ), this feature-length film will revisit the initiatives of Scholas Occurrentes, a global educational movement created in 2013 by the pontiff. Excerpts from films shot in Indonesia, Gambia, and Italy will be interspersed with the "last interview" of the former head of the Church. While the release date of the documentary is not yet known, it is known that it will be directed by Clare Tavernor ( My Life as Rolling Stone ) and Johnny Shipley ( Strip the City ).

In a statement, Pope Francis said that Aldéas - A New Story was " an extremely poetic and very constructive project, because it goes to the roots of what human life is, human sociability, human conflicts... The essence of a life's journey."

Martin Scorsese also spoke to The Hollywood Reporter . "Now more than ever, we need to talk to each other, listen to each other, across cultures, " the director said. "One of the best ways to do this is to share our identity, reflected in our personal lives and experiences." According to the filmmaker, it was important to Pope Francis "that people around the world exchange ideas with respect while preserving their cultural identity, and cinema is the best way to do this."

Martin Scorsese, who met the pontiff several times, paid him a vibrant tribute after his death: " He had an unwavering desire to do good. He knew, deep down, that ignorance was a terrible plague for humanity. So he never stopped learning. And never stopped enlightening." During their last meeting in May 2023, at the Vatican, the American filmmaker revealed that he intended to make a feature film dedicated to Jesus .