EXCLUSIVE: Evgeny Afineevsky had no idea what to expect when he gained unprecedented access to Pope Francis.
The Oscar- and Emmy-nominated film director revealed that no issue was out of control when it came time to interview the 84-year-old for his new documentary “Francesco”. The film explores how the religious figure worked to address issues such as immigration, climate change, and even the abuse of the Catholic Church.
“Despite being Pope Francis, he is still close to the people around him and wants to be a man of the people,” Afineevsky told Fox News. “It’s the Jesuit in him, the Jesuit education, the Jesuit faith. He told me when I started this movie, ‘Evgeny, I do not want to become an actor. I would rather go to the corners of the world. and help people be in front of the camera. “And that’s him. That’s the wonderful person I tried to bring into this film.
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During the filming, Afineevsky witnessed Francis’ modest life in Casa Santa Maria, the Vatican City guest house, as opposed to the more lavish papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace.
“He is not trying to live in the Apostolic Palace behind so many guards,” Afineevsky explained. “He humbly wanted to live in a guest house in the Vatican. The Santa Maria is a very modest, small apartment. He does not drive a luxury car. He wants to be close to the people. He emphasized this during our filming. He “was close to the people when he was Cardinal Bergoglio in the streets of Buenos Aires. And although he was pope, he did not change.”
One of the surprising aspects of ‘Francesco’ is the sitting with Juan Carlos Cruz, who claims to have been sexually abused as a boy in Chile by a Catholic priest. In the film, Cruz greeted Pope Francis for reconsidering his response to the scandal. Francis initially defended some forerunners accused of sexual misconduct, Deadline.com reports. The outlet, however, noted that he eventually took strong action against some alleged abusers.
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Juan Carlos Cruz participated in the documentary ‘Francesco’.
(VINCENZO PINTO / AFP via Getty Images))
Dozens of sexual abuse scandals in many lands, including allegations that church officials covered up the transgression of priests, have undermined the Catholic Church’s credibility among believers.
“Pope Francis wrote a letter to the world in which he apologized and admitted that he had made a mistake,” Cruz said. “No other pope has done this. This is a man who recognizes his mistakes and a man who is not ashamed to recognize a mistake and fix it and admit that he made a mistake and corrected it. do not have. ‘
In March this year, the Vatican announced that Cruz is the youngest member of the Papal Commission for the Protection of Minors. Cruz and other survivors were personally invited by the pope in 2018 to discuss their affairs with him.
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Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013, making him Pope Francis.
(Photo by Vatican Pool / Getty Images)
Afineevsky said he was particularly inspired by Francis’ determination to raise awareness about climate change and its impact on our environment.
“I wanted to bring his actions to inspire people to do something good, to save our world so that we can build a safe path for our future, especially in these days of the pandemic,” Afineevsky explained. “I think the pandemic has stopped us for a moment and reconsider what we have done before, all the disasters we have created and how we can make it different. It is not too late for us to have a safer future. “Pope Francis believes that by loving our planet, we can also unite and show our love for humanity.”
Afineevsky admitted that he was impressed by how personal Pope Francis was when it came time to film.
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Pope Francis poses with the vaccinated at the Paul VI Hall Vatican Vaccination Center on April 2, 2021 in Vatican City, Vatican. On Good Friday, before the celebration of the Way of the Cross, Pope Francis, along with homeless people and those in need of special assistance, visited while receiving Covid vaccinations provided by the Vatican. He greets the volunteers, doctors and nurses who assist them.
(Photo by Vatican Pool / Getty Images)
“The world sees him as this spiritual leader,” he said. “But when you sit down with him and talk to him, it’s like talking to a family member. It feels like talking to the family member who is cheerful but also wants to give you advice and hear what you have to say. It really feels like talking to your father who wants to teach you something. He listens carefully, shares his ideas. He never makes you feel better than you. I felt so comfortable sitting next to him, because he really made me feel like an equal. “
Afineevsky said he does not see “Francesco” as a religious film, but more as a call to action for those who need hope in their lives.
“His last sentence in the film is that we need change that will unite us all,” Afineevsky said. “I think that’s the message of this film. That we are all equal. We must listen to each other’s stories and unite. During his travels, Pope Francis will always say, ‘We are a big family. Let’s stop around our house “I think his purpose in life is to build a bridge. He wants to spread love. And we can definitely use it today.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.