On Saturday, November 15, 2025, Pope Leo XIV gathered a number of film and entertainment figures in the Vatican’s audience hall for an event called “World of Cinema.” Among the attendees were Oscar winners Cate Blanchett, director Spike Lee, and actress Monica Bellucci.
The pope took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of film as more than entertainment. He called cinema “a workshop of hope” and urged filmmakers and actors to lift up marginalized voices, orchestrate stories of “violence, poverty, exile, loneliness”—and not be afraid to confront the “wounds” of reality.
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As part of the visit, Spike Lee gave the pope a special gift: a custom New York Knicks basketball jersey with “Pope Leo 14.” Cate Blanchett surprised the pope with a bracelet related to her humanitarian work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The organizer, the Vatican’s Cultural Office, says the audience is part of Pope Leo XIV’s vision for a closer dialogue between the church and the film industry. The pope also shared four of his favorite films: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Sound of Music,” “Ordinary People,” and “Life is Beautiful.”
The event marks a shift in the church’s approach to popular culture, from mere ceremony to active dialogue. Some in the film industry described the meeting as incredible and inspiring.
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The pope also highlighted the challenges facing cinema and local theaters in the digital age. He urged filmmakers to resist algorithm-driven content and instead support local theaters as gathering places for community.
