Individuals around the world have entered a period of mourning following the death of Pope Francis. The head of the Catholic Church pᴀssed away on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. This means that the College of Cardinals will soon convene a conclave to choose the next pope. This death comes just months after the Oscar-winning film Conclave brought wider attention to the matter, which has allowed more people to learn more about the illusive process of choosing the next pope than ever before.

Conclave‘s popularity has skyrocketed in recent days, with audiences using the film as a way to understand when and how the conclave will take place as the world grapples with the enormous loss of a leader like Pope Francis. His time as the pope coincided with mᴀssive global changes, and he led the Catholic Church through some progressive advancements. During his tenure in the role, Pope Francis also spoke openly about his love of literature and film. Various forms of art inspired the late pope, including some of his favorite films.

3

Babette’s Feast (1987)

The Oscar-Winning Film Explores Faith & Artistry

A few months after becoming pope in 2013, Pope Francis was interviewed by America Magazine about a number of issues, from how he would describe himself to the importance of being hopeful. Within this discussion, the pope highlighted how creative mediums had influenced his life. Pope Francis cited composers such as Mozart and Bach and painters like Caravaggio as having impacted him, and he also mentioned several films that had touched him.

One of the films that Pope Francis explicitly mentioned enjoying was Babette’s Feast. Babette’s Feast is a 1987 Danish film that follows two elderly sisters and their cook, a French woman named Babette, who appears at their door one day. Their small religious community struggles to understand Babette and her culinary talents, particularly as she decides to prepare a lavish French meal for the group. The group worries about the luxury of the food and the potential that their enjoyment of it might be a sin, despite Babette’s selfless service to them.

Babette’s Feast is beautifully sH๏τ and as decadent as the food the тιтular character prepares. The movie deftly deals with questions of faith and purpose through Babette’s exploration of her culinary artistry and her willingness to give everything up for the benefit of those in her community. It makes sense that Pope Francis spoke highly of the film as it is both visually stunning and highlights how creativity is not separate from maintaining one’s faith.

2

Rome, Open City (1945)

The Italian Neorealist Film Highlights Very Real Stakes In History

In the same interview, Pope Francis mentioned that another of his favorite films was Rome, Open City. Filmed in Rome immediately following the Nazi occupation, Rome, Open City explores how the city’s residents both continued to live their lives and attempted to covertly resist occupation despite insurmountable odds. The movie follows various characters, including a pregnant woman and a Catholic priest, as they grapple with their decisions and how the circumstances of the war have changed their understanding of God.

Rome, Open City is now considered one of the most important Italian films ever. It does not shy away from the brutality of living under a fascist regime or how that motivated religious figures to stand by their beliefs. When speaking of the film, Pope Francis noted that he had “watched all of the Italian movies with Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi” as a child with his parents. Thus, in addition to being a very poignant and thematically rich film, it was also something that had a special place for the pope due to its presence in his childhood.

1

La Strada (1954)

Pope Francis Cited Fellini’s Masterpiece As His Favorite

Pope Francis noted that La Strada in particular was the film that he “loved the most.” Similar to Rome, Open City, La Strada has now become known as one of the most influential films ever, despite initial reactions being incredibly mixed, earning it both ire and an Academy Award. The movie centers on a young woman named Gelsomina who is sold to a traveling strongman by her mother and made to work as a clown. Over the course of the film, the characters struggle to overcome their circumstances and search for meaning despite these struggles.

When speaking about the film, Pope Francis stated: “I identify with this movie, in which there is an implicit reference to St. Francis.” The late pope’s namesake, St. Francis of ᴀssisi is venerated for his vows of obedience to God and his commitment to a life of poverty. The characters of La Strada suffer and yet continue to return to the things and people they are tormented by. The pope’s inclusion of La Strada among his favorite films points to the importance of the story’s model of life as a humble search for connection and meaning.

Source: America Magazine