Pope Francis will visit Cinecittà studios on February 17 by Jubileo de Artists

For the first time, on February 17, Pope Francis will visit Cinecittà studios in Rome (Italy), one of the symbols of the world film industry, where more than 3,000 films have been shot.

In this space, where 47 films were recorded that ended up winning an Oscar award, the Holy Father will meet with cultural artists and operators on the occasion of the celebration of the jubilee dedicated to the world of culture.

This event, planned from February 15 to 17, is one of the 36 framed in this holy year that started on December 24 when Pope Francis opened the Holy Gate of the Basilica of San Pedro.

The first prominent act will be the international meeting “Share Esperanza – Horizons for Cultural Heritage”, reserved for directors and museum operators of the world of art and academic and cultural institutions.

It will take place in the Conference Room of the Vatican Museums, on Saturday, February 15, at 10:00 a.m. and will be chaired by the prefect of Dicastery for Culture and Education, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, and the director of the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Assets, Dr. Barbara Jatta.

The event will participate, among others, Massimo Osanna, General Director of Museums of the Ministry of Culture of Italy; Gabriele Finaldi, director of the National Gallery of London (United Kingdom); Miguel Falomir Faus, director of the National Museum of the Prado (Spain); and Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Washington (United States).

In addition, on Sunday, Pope Francis will celebrate a Mass dedicated to the world of culture and in the afternoon, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. plenary indulgence.

Between the ’50s and’ 60s, the large cinematographic production houses of the United States discovered Cinecittà that, thanks to the great economic investments and the importance of the directors and actors who worked in their studies, lived a moment of great peak. This space became known as the “Hollywood on Tiber.” In this glorious period extraordinary films were shot, such as Where are you going?from Mervyn Leroy, Leg howde William Wyler; the Cleopatraby Joseph L. Mankiewicz, during whose filming the passionate love between the two protagonists, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton was born.

In addition, many Italian directors and actors such as Federico Fellini, Ettore Scola, Sergio Leone, Roberto Benigni, Luchino Visconti, Anna Magnani, Alberto Sordi, Vittorio de Sica, Sophia Loren, Gina Lololobrigida, and Claudia Cardinale also worked.

More recently, Cinecittà was the scene of some great American productions such as The black steedde Carroll Ballard; The godfather IIIby Francis Ford Coppola; The English patientde Anthony Minghella; Gangs of New Yorkde Martin Scorsese; The Passion of Christby Mel Gibson; The television series Roma (2005-2007); Zoolander 2by Ben Stiller; and the remake of Ben-how.

Pope Francis’s fascination is known for Roberto Rosellini Roma’s neorealist drama, Citywhich tells how the Italian city lived under the siege of the Nazis and where a Catholic priest is the main protagonist. However, your favorite movie is On the street by Federico Fellini, who was the first Oscar winner for the best foreign speech film.