Martin Scorsese will honor the late Pope Francis by producing “Aldeas – A New Story,” a feature-length documentary and worldwide cultural project developed by Scholas Occurrentes, the global educational movement founded by the Pope.
“Aldeas — A New Story” is rooted in Pope Francis’ belief in the sacred nature of creativity. The film chronicles the work of Scholas Occurrentes’ latest “Aldeas” cinema initiative, which brings together education, film production and community building to make some of the deepest calls of his papacy a reality: creating the culture of encounter from the peripheries, gathering together the beauty of human diversity and fostering unity in a divided world.
The documentary also features the Pope’s final in-depth on-camera interview for cinema, filmed exclusively for “Aldeas — A New Story.”
In a statement before his death, Pope Francis said: “‘Aldeas’ is 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.”
Added Scorsese: “Now, more than ever, we need to talk to each other, listen to one another cross-culturally. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by sharing the stories of who we are, reflected from our personal lives and experiences. It helps us understand and value how each of us sees the world. It was important to Pope Francis for people across the globe to exchange ideas with respect while also preserving their cultural identity, and cinema is the best medium to do that.”
Indonesia, the Gambia and Italy are among the first countries to participate in this Aldeas initiative, and the making of their short narrative films will be captured and included in “Aldeas — A New Story.” By empowering communities to tell their own stories and preserve their cultural legacies, the feature documentary stands as a testament to the enduring belief that creativity is not only a means of expression but a path to hope and transformation.
The short films will premiere in newly established local cinemas, serving as lasting hubs for cultural expression and education. The “Aldeas — A New Story” film and Scholas Occurrentes’ Aldeas movement are independently financed by international sponsors and donors, ensuring all proceeds are reinvested into expanding the initiative globally. Behind-the-scenes stories of these shorts will be interwoven with previously unseen conversations between Pope Francis and Scorsese.
“Aldeas–A New Story” is produced by Aldeas Scholas Films in association with Sikelia Productions and Massive Owl Productions.
Alongside Scorsese, “Aldeas — A New Story” is produced by Teresa Leveratto, Ezequiel del Corral and Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, with Lisa Frechette, Romilda de Luca, Ariel Tcach and Ariel Broitman serving as executive producers. Directors Clare Tavernor and Johnny Shipley as well as Amy Foster, producer from Massive Owl Productions, lead the creative team. Ellen Kuras and Salvatore Totino also contributed cinematography work to the film.
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