FATIMA


US/Portugal, 2020, 113 minutes, Colour.
Stephanie Gil, Aleandra Howard, Jorge Lamelas, Joaquim De Almeida, Goran Visnjic, Lucia Moniz, Marco D' Almeida, Harvey Keitel, Sonia Braga.
Directed by Marco Pontecorvo.

Who would have anticipated a version of the apparitions at Fathima, 1917, in 2020? There had been a Hollywood version in the early 1950s and the British The 13th Day in 2009. But, here is a well-mounted account, filmed in Portugal, an international cast, and a reverential portrayal of the three children, their experience of the apparition of Mary, opposition, devoted pilgrims, the miracle of the sun (including some photographs of the event in October, 1917, and the glimpse of someone filming the event).

Older Catholics were brought up in the period of the popularity of Our Lady of Fatima, especially in the 1940s and the early 1950s, with the touring statue, devotions and processions. By this time, Catholics took our Lady of Lourdes and the apparitions to Bernadette for granted (and the popularity of the film, The Song of Bernadette in 1943). But, Fatima was nearer to our own times, just before our own times, the post-World War II years. And, of course, Fatima has become one of the major shrines, Marian shrines, in the world.

Lourdes had its sceptics and critics. Fathima has had its sceptics and critics. While there has been a recent increase in popularity of faith-films, audiences who don’t respond to faith-films will not be impressed by miracle stories like this. Interestingly, while the Internet Movie Database has many responses, some of them ridiculing the story as superstitious, many of those responding are older Catholics who are complaining about quite a number of details, you’d favourites for them, the three secrets, the conversion of Russia, the consecration of the world to Mary… which have not been explicitly included.

The value of this version of Fatima, for Catholics of a later generation not so familiar with apparitions (except, perhaps, with Medjugorje), is that the story is well situated in the political climate of Portugal in 1917, Republic, secular-minded, oppressive of religion and the Church. It is also well situated in the climate of World War I, the deaths of Portuguese soldiers and those missing in action (including Lucia’s brother). Memory suggests that back in the 1940s and 1950s, we were not so conscious of these real/actual settings.

The other aspect, important for many contemporary audiences, for younger Catholics, are the questions about Mary appearing to 3 small children, in the context of devotions of the time, the responses of the time. The screenplay provides a 1989 framework, a professor (Harvey Keitel) visiting sister Lucia at the Carmelite convent of Coimbra, Lucia in her 80s played by Sonia Braga. The Professor asks the expected questions which might be rising in the minds of questioning audiences: the reality of the apparitions in the language and iconography of the visionaries, of the period, the image of Mary and statuary, the language of rosary and prayer. There is also the issue of the penitential aspects of devotion at the time, self-inflicted penances in reparation for sinful offence or for emphasising prayers of petition. The professor also raises the issue of the effect of little children being the instrument of preaching peace and prayer rather than an adult appeal.

Stephanie Gil is very convincing as Lucia. And the two actors for the smaller children are also very effective, Jacinta and her spontaneous talk, Francesco and his not hearing the words of Mary. This is shown in the context of their village, poor and hard-working, and of the deaths and injuries during the war, the family support, Lucia to 3’s mother harsh, her farmer father supportive. The local priest does the expected questioning, fearing that they are making everything up, but eventually believing them. It is much harder for the Mayor, with orders from Lisbon, with his anti-religious and anti-clerical stances (despite the challenges from his wife), trying to suppress the pilgrimage mentality. People from the village are at times sceptical, hostile, believers. They are desperate for miracles. And, even then, there was commercialism, children with their trays of rosary beads for sale to the pilgrims!

There is an odd evocative, nightmare sequence where Lucia dreams of a Pope and bishops walking through the devastation of the battlefield with guns firing at the Pope.

The 21st-century seems to be an age more sceptical about this kind of religious experience, so hallowed in the past. Here is an opportunity to give some consideration to the credibility, the question that there are more events and experiences than matter-of-fact realism believes in.

A number of photos appear during the final credits, a reminder that Jacinta and Francesco died during the Spanish flu epidemic, that Lucia spent many decades as a Carmelite nun, that the Popes have been enthusiasts of Fatima with their visits, that Pope Francis canonised Jacinta and Francesco and that Lucia’s cause is under consideration.

1. Audience knowledge of Fatima, 1917, the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, the three children and their experience of the apparitions? World War I, the Portuguese Republic, anti-church stances? The devotion to Our Lady of Fatima in the first part of the 20th century?

2. The film and the Portuguese settings, Portuguese locations? The fields and the countryside? The village, streets, buildings, marketplace? Homes? The mayor’s office? The musical score?

3. A re-telling of the story for the 21st-century? A faith film? The response of Catholics, those familiar with Fatima, those not? The response of sceptics? The condemnation of superstitions? The screenplay taking up these issues?

4. The professor, 1989, the visit to the Carmelite convent at Coimbra? The interview with Sister Lucia? His book, his range of questions, the interview, her responses, the talk at the grille, the walking in the garden? Raising the issues of the iconography of the culture, the children perceiving Mary in the dress, language of the times? The issue of the choice of children to convey a spiritual message?

5. The opening, World War I, Portuguese involvement, Portuguese politics, moving towards a republic? The images of men at war? The mayor, his book, the meetings in the marketplace, his reading the list of deceased missing in action, the grief of the people?

6. The introduction to the children, very young age? Piety? Jacinta and Francesco as very young, their parents? Lucia, a little older, her brother at war, her farmer father and his support, the edginess of her mother?

7. The introduction of the angel? Presence to Lucia? Encouraging her? And the later appearance and encouragement?

8. May 1917, the children in the fields, seeing the lady, Francesco not hearing her, the experience? The friendliness of the lady, the talk of prayer, the rosary? The secrecy?

9. Jacinta blurting out the truth, the parents’ reaction, the severity of Lucia’s mother? The assumption that they were making it all up? The children in their defence? Word going round the village? Those in favour, those not?

10. The parish priest, his role in the village, sympathetic, his interrogating the children, his assumption that they were making stories up? His interaction with the parents, especially Lucia’s mother? The later visit of the Bishop, his stern attitude, interrogation?

11. The months passing, the crowds gathering, the ready belief in apparitions, images, requests for miracles? The parents and their being present?

12. Lucia’s brother, the reading of the list, his death? His mother’s grief, her physical decline, sick? His surviving – seen as an answer to prayer?

13. The character of the mayor, leadership, orders from Lisbon, the ethos of the time, suspicion, interrogations, thinking the children were lying? The discussions with his wife, her being seen with the children, her belief, the tension between husband and wife? His explaining his responsibilities, her going with the missionaries?

14. Lucia, the episode of her nightmare, the war and the bodies, the Pope and the Cardinals and clergy walking through the battlefield? The snipers, the attack on the Pope, his death? An evocative nightmare – and its suggestions about the visions and mission?

15. The spirituality of the time in terms of prayer, faith, simple devotion, praying the rosary? Prayer and petition? Prayer for conversions? Against insults to God? The spirituality of penitential practices, Lucia and her prayer on her knees, the lady and her urging to penance? A former spirituality – a response from the 21st-century?

16. The attempts to stop the children going to the field? Going each month? The lady’s presence? Jacinta conveying messages to the pilgrims? (And the irony of boys with trays selling rosaries, commercialism!)

17. 1917, expectations, the crowds growing over the months, the presence of the mayor, the Bishop, parish priest? The appearance, the lady saying she was the lady of the rosary? The heavy rain? The experience of the sun, its effect, the later insertion of photos, the glimpse of the event being photographed and filmed?

18. The final information: Jacinta and Francesco dying in the Spanish Flu epidemic, Lucia entering Carmel, a very long life? Her wisdom in old age? The beatification of the two children, Pope Francis and their canonisation? Lucia and her cause for canonisation?

19. The popularity of Our Lady of Fatima, of the shrine, of pilgrims, the glimpses of Popes present?

20. How well did the film communicate the message of Fatima?