‘Some important films’: Unpacking the Vatican’s strange movie list
It might be expected that at the epicentre of catholicism, the Pope and his cardinals are only watching films with the utmost level of moral and religious standing.
Honestly, it might be expected that they’re not watching any films at all, as the idea of a movie night in the Vatican feels like the opening line to a stupid joke.
I don’t really know what goes on inside the Vatican all year round; like everybody else, I was hooked by Conclave, both the film and the actual event, and was overcome with silly glee when the newly elected pope, Pope Leo XIV, revealed that he actually watched the Ralph Fiennes film the night before entering the actual, real-life conclave. According to the Pope’s brother, that was the only way he could think to calm his nerves and understand “how to behave” during the proceedings. In a perfect example of life imitating art that imitates life, it turns out the Pope loves a self-referential movie night.
But back in 1995, the idea of the church sitting around and watching a film turned from a silly joke to reality when the Vatican compiled a document simply titled, ‘Alcuni film importanti’ or ‘Some important films’. Curated by the then Pope John Paul II, who was the leader from 1978 until his death in 2005, along with his cardinal John Patrick Foley, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications compiled their list of films they deemed essential viewing.
It splits into the types of categories you might expect, including films that depict religion, good moral values or simply art. Across the board, these were movies they considered representative of either godliness or simply being a good, moral person, or they were films that they believed were the finest examples of artistry of our fine human race, honouring god by utilising the talents he bestowed upon mankind. All of that makes sense and appears as a really beautiful and interesting way for the church to engage with the public and culture, but then, when you dive into the list, it feels insane.
In what world, ever, would you imagine the church recommending a Stanley Kubrick movie? Given that the director was never afraid of a controversial pick, taking on the ever-divisive Lolita and the once-banned Clockwork Orange, his work never really depicts good morals, yet the Vatican had him on the list, putting 2001: A Space Odyssey in there, in the art category. From then on, choices zig-zag between the wild and the more understandable.
In that latter category, there are selections like religious films including The Gospel According to St Matthew, the 1966 A Man for All Seasons, the silent film The Passion of Joan of Arc and the true classic 1903 film Vie et Passion du Christ. Marked under ‘values’, some of their morality picks make a lot of sense too, including films like Schindler’s List, It’s a Wonderful Life and Gandhi, but it’s when diving into the art section that things get baffling, which includes names like Ingmar Bergman, Marlon Brando, and Orson Welles; who knew the Vatican were such cinephiles?
In their attempts to pick out the ultimate examples of artistry, the selections go way beyond the beliefs and morals expected from the church. I’m pretty sure nothing at all in the Bible aligns with the tale of Nosferatu, and yet, the 1922 silent film is on the list, endorsed by the Pope, as is The Wizard of Oz, along with Fellini’s 8½.
According to the council at the time, the point of the list was to prove that great films could be made without pandering to violent or pornographic elements; however, the result is so eclectic it feels like it should be fake, because once again, in what world is the catholic church co-signing a Kubrick film!
