Of all the mysteries in the universe, from whether a fish can get seasick to the unknown nature of dark matter, few expected one question to be answered this week: What are Pope Leo’s favorite movies?
The Vatican offered a peek into the cinematic tastes of the first American pope, sharing a video in which Pope Leo listed a few of his favorite films, according to Variety.
His choices include a mix of timeless classics:
- “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
- “The Sound of Music” (1965)
- “Ordinary People” (1980)
- “Life is Beautiful” (1997)
The Chicago-born pontiff’s movie list comes just ahead of an unprecedented gathering at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Saturday morning. Stars including Cate Blanchett, Chris Pine, Viggo Mortensen, Alison Brie, Dave Franco and Monica Bellucci are expected to attend, alongside directors Spike Lee, George Miller, Giuseppe Tornatore and Gus Van Sant, Variety reports.
The event, organized by the Vatican’s culture office as part of the Catholic Church’s Holy Year celebrations, reflects the pope’s wish to develop the relationship between faith and art.
The pope “expressed his desire to deepen dialogue with the World of Cinema,” the Vatican said in a statement, later adding, “the possibilities that artistic creativity offers to the mission of the Church and the promotion of human values.”
Has there been an event at the Vatican like this before?
According to Variety, not in recent memory. The closest parallel might be when the late Pope Francis hosted comedians including Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon for a special audience.
Pope Leo visited with Robert De Niro and his family in the Vatican last week while the actor was in Rome receiving the city’s highest honor, the Lupa Capitolina.
Leo also met with Al Pacino earlier this year, marking the first reported meeting between the American pontiff and a Hollywood star.