Cinema as a space for dialogue, a search for meaning, and a guardian of human dignity. This was the message Pope Leo XIV addressed to the world of cinema during his audience on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Vatican.
“May your cinema always be a meeting place and a home for those seeking meaning and a language of peace. May it never lose its capacity to amaze and even continue to offer us a glimpse, however small, of the mystery of God,” the Pope declared, inviting artists and professionals to preserve the spiritual and human power of images.
The Pope emphasized the cultural and social role of cinema, calling it that which has the power “to recover authenticity” and “promote human dignity.” “In the present era, there is a need for witnesses of hope, beauty and truth. You can fulfill this role through your artistic work,” he added. A special appeal was addressed to directors and actors: “Do not be afraid to confront the world’s wounds. Violence, poverty, exile, loneliness, addiction and forgotten wars are issues that need to be acknowledged and narrated.”
The Pontiff concluded by acknowledging that “the Church esteems you for your work with light and time, with faces and landscapes, with words and silence,” reaffirming the value of cinema as a tool for reflection and witness.