Pope Leo: Real Cinema Should Challenge Audiences, Not Just Comfort Them

On Saturday morning, Pope Leo XIV welcomed actors, filmmakers, writers, and other members of the film industry to the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. The gathering highlighted the importance of cinema, nearly 130 years after the first movie premiered in Paris in 1895.

Pope Leo emphasized that cinema is more than entertainment. He explained that films can challenge audiences and make them think. “When cinema is authentic, it does not merely console but challenges. It articulates the questions that dwell within us and sometimes even provokes tears that we did not know we needed to express,” he said.

The Pope noted that movies have evolved beyond just impressive visuals. “Cinema became an expression of the desire to contemplate and understand life, to recount its greatness and fragility and to portray the longing for infinity,” he said.

He also commented on the importance of art in a world dominated by algorithms. “The logic of algorithms tends to repeat what ‘works,’ but art opens up what is possible. Not everything has to be immediate or predictable. Defend slowness when it serves a purpose, silence when it speaks and difference when evocative. Beauty is not just a means of escape; it is, above all, an invocation.”

Pope Leo spoke about the unique experience of going to the cinema. “Entering a cinema is like crossing a threshold. In the darkness and silence, vision becomes sharper, the heart opens up, and the mind becomes receptive to things not yet imagined.”

“We live in an age where digital screens are always on. There is a constant flow of information. However, cinema is much more than just a screen; it is an intersection of desires, memories and questions. It is a sensory journey in which light pierces the darkness and words meet silence. As the plot unfolds, our mind is educated, our imagination broadens, and even pain can find new meaning.”

He also stressed the role of cinemas and theaters in communities. “Cultural facilities, such as cinemas and theaters, are the beating hearts of our communities because they contribute to making them more human. If a city is alive, it is thanks in part to its cultural spaces. We must inhabit these spaces and build relationships within them, day after day.”

However, Pope Leo warned that cinemas face challenges today. “Cinemas are experiencing a troubling decline, with many being removed from cities and neighborhoods. More than a few people are saying that the art of cinema and the cinematic experience are in danger. I urge institutions not to give up but to cooperate in affirming the social and cultural value of this activity,” he said.

This visit shows Pope Leo’s strong support for cinema as an art form that educates, inspires, and strengthens communities.

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