FRANCESCO, EL PADRE JORGE

Argentina, 2015, 104 minutes, Colour.
Dario Grandinetti, Sylvia Abascal.
Directed by Beda Docampo Feijoo.

With the popularity of Pope Francis very high all around the world, it was inevitable that there would be many film and television programs based on his life and his ministry.

This biography comes from Argentina, the country very proud of its Pope.

Most people had never heard of Cardinal Bergoglio prior to his election as Pope Francis in 2013, although he was listed as one of the possible popes at the conclave in 2005. There was talk about his way of life in Buenos Aires, working and being with the poor and, it was noted strongly at the time, that he travelled on public transport. But, in 2005 he went back to his Archdiocese.

This film offers viewers the advantage of understanding something of Jorge Bergoglio, gives background, his being a Jesuit, his work as a priest, as a bishop, as the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires. But, the film does this in a somewhat fragmentary way, moving from different times and different places to others, the dates and places up there on the screen to help the audience appreciate when and where.

By the end of the film, the audience has seen a great deal, even if the sequences are epsiodic, of the life of Jorge Bergoglio. The film highlights his grandparents coming from Italy to Argentina, his decision to enter the seminary and the protestations against this by his mother. His friends seem momentarily sceptical but then support him. On the human level, there is a sequence where he attends a wedding and is attracted to a young woman who is there, dances a tango with her at the reception, gives her a gift of a book and she gift of poems for him – but he never sees her again.

Not so much is made initially of his decision to become a Jesuit or of his Jesuit training but, later in the film, he quotes St Ignatius Loyola and the Spiritual Exerises quite a number of times.

There are many scenes of the priest and the bishop in ministry, comfortably mixing with everyone, conversations in the street, sharing meals, supervising at a school, concerned about drug problems, encouraging the clergy to minister to the poor as he does. The film does give a credible sketch of Jorge Bergoglio, always wanting people to call him simply Father Jorge, even as a bishop. This sketch of his ministry includes the issue of his support or non-support of fellow Jesuits tortured at the time of the Generals, an interview seeing him pleading for the priests. There is also a sequence with a politician who asks him to tone down his utterances and concern for the poor.

One framework for this film is a focus on a fictitious journalist (based on a journalist who did write his biography).who was sent to cover the 2005 conclave for her paper, meets Cardinal Bergoglio who gives her personal advice about her pregnancy, who continues the friendship (even to the baptising of her daughter even though she is an agnostic) and the death of her mother (and, actually, a scene with the Cardinal helping the daughter scatter the ashes in a river).

The actor playing Cardinal Bergoglio is the Argentinian Dario Grandinetti. He is an imposing figure, despite his continued limp, bringing to life the man who was to be Pope. However, the limitation in his performance is that he seems to be ultra-serious, not displaying an immediate charism, rarely smiling – and this proves quite a contrast when the film includes the actual Pope Francis at the end, a much warmer, smiling, embracing character than what we have seen.

The film does incorporate a lot of the words of the future Pope Francis about simplicity of life, on the role of a bishop, not seeking preferment, and, in a scene where he gives an address to the Cardinals in 2013, a reference to evangelisation in “going to the existential peripheries� of the world.

There have been several documentaries, course, about Pope Francis including an Italian film, Chiamatemi Francesco/ Call Me Francis. Youtube indicates that this Italian film as well as the Argentinian film are due to be available on January 7, 2017.

1. The reputation and popularity of Pope Francis? His impact? Audience interest in him and his life, Catholic? Non-Catholic?

2. A film from Argentina, admiration for the Pope, his place in Argentinian history, social life and work? Pride in the Pope?

3. Buenos Aires, its past, the boyhood of the Pope, years in the seminary, attending the wedding, his work as a priest, sacramental, preaching, social, problems? The military? The politicians? The Archbishop and his work, the school, drug problems, clergy? The status of the church?

4. Rome, 2005, the conclave, the Sistine Chapel? The return in 2013, the journalists and their discussions, restaurants? The conclave, the election? The musical score?

5. The final insertion of sequences of Pope Francis himself, his impact, the new era of the papacy?

6. Dario Grandinetti as Pope Francis, serious, not particularly charismatic in himself or his communication? Rarely smiling? The contrast with the added footage of Pope Francis himself, with people, smiling, embracing, charismatic?

7. The structure of the film, the movements throughout different times, glimpses, dates and places on screen? Familiar sequences, unfamiliar, snippets? The cumulative effect?

8. Jorge Bergoglio as young, from an Italian family, his grandparents, his relationship with his mother, her adamant stance against his vocation? His decision, the discussions with his friends, their initial laughter, their support? The St Francis book? Years in the seminary, spirituality? Attending the wedding, attracted to the young woman, dancing the tango, exchanging poems and novels? His ordination and his mother asking his blessing?

9. The outline of his ministry, always been known as Father Jorge, a Jesuit and his frequent quotations from St Ignatius Loyola, at the school, his relationship with the kids, the staff, his ability to mix, humane, a man who hugged and touched, shared grief? The issue of the generals and the torture of the Jesuits, the criticisms, the journalist and her investigations, his interviews, the reaction of the priests themselves about his getting them out of the country? The political interview, the politician asking for moderation? His ecclesiastical status, as a cardinal? His use of public transport, people admiring him, stopping him for conversation, his masses, his sermons, the focus on Jesus as inspiration?

10. Ana, the framework of the film, her getting to know the Archbishop, the discussions, her covering the conclaves, personal, issues, her writing? A fictional representation of the actual author of his biography? In herself, going to Rome, her partner, the issue of abortion, her pregnancy, her discussions with the cardinal, his supporting her having the child? The discussion about candidates, the election of Cardinal Ratzinger? The years passing, the birth of her child, her mother coming from Spain, the background of the tango, present at the baptism? The meals discussions? Her death, cremation, the Ashes in the river with the wreath? The range of meetings, ideas, discussions?

11. The 2013 conclave, the Cardinal’s address to the conclave participants, his urging people to be out in the peripheries? The influence of his talk? Candidacy at the previous election? Discussion about numbers of votes? His being elected? His friendship with the Cardinals, greeting them, discussing the medical situation with the other cardinal?

12. The election, his acceptance, wanting his own shoes, the garb, his greeting people, the people of Rome? In the aftermath and the personal touch with his phone calls?

13. The film as helpful in giving a background to the life and work of Cardinal Bergoglio?