Francesco: New film documents Pope’s 2016 visit to Armenia

Public Radio of Armenia
Jan 28 2021

Francesco – a documentary that gives unprecedented access to Pope Francis and the individuals who know him – will be premiering in March 28, Discovery has announced.

Produced and directed by Oscarnominated filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky, Francesco provides an intimate look at Pope Francis and how he approaches challenging and complex issues, including climate change, religious intolerance, LGBTQ rights, sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, and more.

In addition to featuring Pope Francis, Francesco also includes interviews with the people who know and have interacted with His Holiness.

The film also shares Pope Francis’ efforts to educate the world about the Armenian Genocide and documents his pilgrimage to Armenia in 2016, Emmy-nominated film producer Eric Esrailian informs.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 13, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis became the leader of the Catholic Church in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He is the first Pope born outside Europe since the 8th century, as well as the first Jesuit pope.

The film shows us the world as it is today and a path to understanding a better future for tomorrow, through the remarkable work of Pope Francis. It is a search for hope, humanity, compassion, unity and redemption inside the darkness of our times.

Francesco‘s producers, in addition to Afineevsky, are Den TolmorEric Esrailian and Teri Schwartz. Its executive producers are Ted HopeColleen CampMark MonroeTomas SrovnalMichelle Bertan NeveSvetlana ChistyakovaBonnie AbaunzaBohdan BatruchRegina K. ScullyElba Luis LugoGeralyn White Dreyfous and Robert Fyvolent. It is a production of Afineevsky-Tolmor Productions with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and PFX – Postproduction and Visual Effects Studio, in association with Diamond Docs.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS