Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and globally respected, died at the age of 88. The Vatican confirmed his death in an official statement on 21 April 2025, announced that his residence in Vatican City died peacefully in Kasa Santa Marta.
Many traditions are known for breaking, Pope Francis made history in many ways. He was the first Jesuit Pope, before the US and the Southern Hemisphere, and was also the first non-European leader of the Catholic Church over 1,200 years-Since the 8th century, Syria-born Pope Gregory III was not seen since.
But many people would not know that Pope Francis also became some of a film data during his lifetime. In 2018, a documentary called “Pope Francis: A Man of Hiz Word” was released. The film was directed and co-written by WeM vendors, known for his work with famous artists such as a German filmmaker Alysis Wikiom, Mel Gibson and even Rock Band U2.
The film was unique because it introduced a personal look at the Pope’s ideas, travels and messages to the world. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival that year and was later released in the United States. Was it even more special how Pope Francis appeared on the screen. He was seen talking directly to the camera, which made it realize that he was speaking with the audience. This approach, often called “braking the fourth wall”, gave the documentary an intimate and powerful tone.
In an interview with the BBC, the vendors talked about their experience working with the Pope. He described Pope Francis as someone who had the same appearance as the top film stars, but in a very different way. According to vendors, the powerful screen appearance of the Pope came from not fame or ego, but his strong belief, real humility and desire to join people. The vendors said that Pope Francis told him that he had never seen any of his films and did not follow the cinema, proving that his decision to appear in a film was not for fame, but to reach the wider audience.
The vendors believed that the film used the film as a way to communicate directly with people around the world, not as an actor, but as a spiritual guide. Throughout the film, Pope Francis talks about topics such as compassion, justice, and care of the poor – he kept values close to his entire time as the Pope.
As people from all over the world mourn their death, Pope Francis is not only remembered as a religious leader, but also as a kind human, who tried to join the people in every possible way – including a film.
