Pope Francis met with Italian actor and filmmaker⁣ Roberto Benigni on December ⁢4, 2023, at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The⁢ meeting centered around Benigni’s upcoming monologue, “Pietro, un uomo nel vento” ‌(Peter, a man⁤ in⁢ the wind), set to air on Italian television ⁣(Rai1) on⁤ December ⁢10, 2023.

The​ Pope previewed ‌excerpts from the⁤ monologue and reportedly exclaimed, “How gorgeous,‌ it speaks of love,” following‌ a world premiere screening at the MAXXI Museum in⁤ Rome‍ earlier that day, according‍ to Vatican News.

A Conversation on cinema, Literature, and ‍Faith

The discussion between Pope Francis and ‌Benigni ‌extended beyond the new monologue ⁤to encompass a shared recognition for cinema and literature.They spoke about Benigni’s 1999 Academy Award-winning film, Life is Beautiful, which ⁤the Pope recently identified as one of his four favorite films. ‍ They also discussed Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film, ⁤ It’s a Fantastic life.

The conversation delved⁣ into the lives‌ of key‍ religious figures and literary giants, including Saint Peter, Saint ‍Augustine, and the poet ⁢Dante Alighieri. Specifically, they⁤ discussed Dante’s Divine ⁢Comedy ⁤ and Saint Augustine’s Confessions, as reported by‌ Vatican News.

Attendees and⁢ Production Details

Several ⁤individuals were present during the meeting, including Paolo⁢ Ruffini, prefect of ​the Dicastery⁤ for Communication; Stefano D’Agostini, director of Vatican Media; Giampaolo Rossi,​ general director of ​RAI; and Simona Ercolani, executive and creative director of ⁤Stand by Me. Stand by Me, ‍in collaboration with​ Vatican ‌Media, produced “Pietro, un uomo nel ‌vento,”​ as detailed by Vatican News.