María movie comes to Netflix: This is what its director, the Catholic DJ Caruso, says

DJ Caruso’s latest film is Maríaabout the Blessed Virgin, which narrates the first years of Our Lady’s life through the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt. The biblical epic will premiere on Netflix on December 6. A native of Norwalk, Connecticut (United States), Caruso, who is Catholic, went to college in California, where he later dedicated himself to film as a director, producer and writer. He is well known for his thriller and action films.

Early in his career, he was hired by Steven Spielberg to direct the thrillers Disturbia (2007) y Eagle Eye (2008).

Spielberg isn’t the only famous person who has taken note. Pope Francis has also done it. As Caruso said: “They invited us to the Vatican because (the Pope) wants to meet the filmmaker behind the film María. “So I’m very excited to be able to spend time with the Pope.” In November, before leaving for Rome in December, Caruso spoke to the National Catholic Register about María.

Why did you decide to make this particular film about our Blessed Mother?

I was very, very determined to tell the story. He felt that his story was not highly valued. We’ve all been conditioned to understand the Nativity story, and I was very moved by the idea of ​​telling a story from her perspective: what it was like to be her and go through all of this from a little girl to the birth (of Christ), and everything. But I really want to say that here is this young woman who faced adversity, had some doubts, had some fears, but finally accepted this beautiful command, that acceptance of God, and took them into her heart.

I wanted to inspire, particularly younger viewers, to say, “Wow, Mary could be my friend. Much of what he experienced is contemporary and what is happening in the world today. I know she is this iconic, beautiful, saintly mother that we all revere, but at the same time, she was also a young woman like me; “He had to make these decisions and he had to go through these things.” I wanted to make her human and relatable so that people would accept her and even love her more than they love her.

It seems that you are devoted to Mary. Tell us about your Catholic faith.

I am devoted to Mary. I am Catholic. I was raised Catholic in Norwalk, Connecticut, and remained Catholic my entire life and remained faithful to the Church. We are a family of five. We are a very strong Catholic family. They have all gone to Catholic schools. We love it. And obviously, being Catholic and praying to Mary, and understanding her as an intercessor, is vital to who we are as a family and to our faith. That’s why, for me, (that’s why) I wanted to make a movie to celebrate her.

How did you come to choose the way you present Maria?

I’ve always admired what Mel (Gibson) did with The Passion (of the Christ) because, obviously, he humanized Christ and the pain that he suffered and everything that he went through. Well, the real origin of this story begins with Mary, doesn’t it? So how can I tell a story that is compelling and makes it human and accessible?

She is so vital and so important in life. A good friend of mine, Bishop David O’Connell of Los Angeles, who passed away two years ago in February, was really instrumental in bringing Mary into our lives and always said, “She’s there for you. You just have to talk to her. She is your connection to Christ. And if you turn to her, all good things will happen.”

That’s been instilled in me over the last five years, and that’s why I wanted to make a film to celebrate what an extraordinary young woman she was.

The only big name in the cast is Sir Anthony Hopkins. Why did you choose relatively unknown people, like the actress and actor who play Joseph and Mary, for your cast?

If you had cast a star to play Mary or Joseph, I really think it would be a mistake.

I think Noa (Cohen) and Ido (Tako) are such a revelation that it makes them endearing. It was great to bring two new faces that are actually from the region where Mary and Joseph were born, put them in roles and introduce them to the world. It’s a fresher version, and the audience will accept them more in the movie than if it were a movie star.

Why did you use contributions from clerics and theologians from all walks of life: Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims?

I think it was important because I’m going to come from our strong Catholic perspective and I’m always going to try to do that. I suppose it will always be controversial, but I wanted Mary to be accessible to all who love her, all who can accept and revere her. Obviously, we revere her in a way that others wouldn’t.

But I didn’t want to close the door on one thing in particular, because this is a movie to celebrate Maria, this young, powerful girl, and make her human. I wanted to stick to the Scriptures as the basis for what we needed to do, and then go see the Protoevangelio de Santiagothen the historian Josephus, who had a lot about Herod. So we created the narrative using these scholars and making sure it wasn’t a documentary, obviously. But we wanted to make sure we were paying tribute and doing things correctly. That was very important to do well. We wanted Mary for everyone… accessible to all believers and non-believers too.

Many people imagine Saint Joseph to be much older than Mary. But you give him an age much closer to hers.

I’m so glad you say that, because I also feel like, even for younger audiences, Mary and Joseph are young adults, and they find it exciting because it’s not about an old man carrying Mary around on a donkey, protecting her like a father figure. , in a way. They are two young people who are in this together. That was definitely my intention because I think it can open up your story.

Also, my dear friend Bishop David O’Connell, who was helping me, specifically told me, “DJ, please give voice to Joseph. He has no voice in any of the Scriptures, and is a pivotal figure. He is the anonymous hero of the Gospel, and he receives no love because he says nothing. But please give him a voice. Think about what he had to go through and what he had to face, and how he had to fight the mob, and how he had to understand and do the right thing. Think how brave he was to stand up to this mob and say, ‘Don’t stone this woman.’ “He is going to go against the grain, which is very difficult for these young people to do today.”

The bishop said that he would be a great role model for all these young people, because he would tell them: “Look, this is what I am going to do. I will stand up for what is right and what I believe. “I’m not going to let mobs force me to do something they think I should do.”

That was probably his most important message to me: “Please give Joseph a voice and make him the hero he is.” That was one of the goals I set for myself.

You could probably see his influence in creating a three-dimensional character for Joseph that people could understand and love. I think it’s the first time in a movie that you can see the relationship between Mary and Joseph blossom; You can see them getting closer and closer, depending on what their mission was and what they had to do.

How do you stay close to Maria?

I pray the Rosary. My wife prays the Rosary. Some of our children pray the Rosary. When Bishop David O’Connell passed away, his family gave me their dog, which he walked every morning and finished when the Rosary was over. Every morning, when I take Quito for a walk, I don’t always have time to pray the Rosary, but I pray two Hail Marys and two Our Fathers. Hail Marys are an important part of my day.

What do you like the most and what stands out the most about the film? María?

I think what pleases me most is the idea, from the comments I’m getting, that yes, Mary was blessed. Yes, Maria was chosen. But she has to accept it. In fear, you have to say, “Okay, I’m in.” Let God enter your heart. I think people who watch the movie realize that they are making a decision. You are making a decision that we all must make. Making this decision doesn’t mean your life will be easier. But to do wonderful and great things, you have to make that decision.

When I filmed that scene (of the Annunciation) and Gabriel came up to her and she basically said, “Let it be done to me. Let it be me,” tears came to my eyes and I realized that was the reason… At that moment I realized that that was why I was making the film, because that revelation was as if she had made that decision, and it is a decision we all have to make, and if we can get that message across… and everyone is watching the movie (before screenings) and saying, “This is really cool. “I didn’t think a biblical epic would look like this or be this cool.” And if younger audiences can now get closer and feel closer to Maria, then the film is a success, for me.

What are your biggest hopes for the film? What would you like to see happen?

My hope is that people see the film and feel much closer to Maria. I think there is a relationship that is very vital and very important. I love that people identify more with Mary, the Holy Mother, and that they see her as a friend, that they see her as a contemporary who had to fight and go through the things that many people in this world go through, but that they see her as the heroine she truly is and to have a deeper appreciation for the beauty, love and light that Mary is. That was my only goal.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in National Catholic Register.