The film If I Had No Love depicts the final year of the life of Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian layman who lived in the early 20th century. The film portrays his charitable deeds, his devotion to prayer and Holy Mass, and his opposition to fascism. Despite his social status, he lived joyfully and generously.

The film shows how Pier Giorgio, though from a wealthy family, lived very simply. The story highlights how he dedicated his life to helping the poor and the suffering. He was a student, a mountaineer, and an active member of Catholic Action.

Pier Giorgio is a young man full of life who combines his interests with deep faith and service not only to the poor but also to the marginalized. The film highlights his political engagement and his emphasis on the fact that Christ must be part of all social life. The film thus presents an inspiring story of how one can live a life of holiness in the everyday world, full of pain, challenges, and secular deceptions.

He died at the young age of 24 from polio, which he contracted while serving the poor. His funeral became a great testimony of faith and courage, as thousands of people came to pay their respects. Pope John Paul II declared him blessed and a model for young people who wish to live a life according to the Gospel, marked by love and service to others. Pope Leo XIV canonized him as a saint.

The film is not merely a biography but also an invitation to deeper spirituality—to living a faith that is expressed through concrete acts of love and service in everyday life.

Drama

Italy, 1991, 110 min

Cast: Leandro Castellani;

Crew: Antonio Sabato, Cinzia de Ponti, Ottavia Piccolo, Giacomo Piperno, Carlo Simoni;

Parental Guide:

1 scene where a prostitute sits on a bed with her skirt hiked up. Prostitutes soliciting passersby. A few fight scenes. Several instances of wine drinking and smoking, including by Frassati himself, as this was a time when the negative effects of smoking were not yet well known. At the beginning of the film, factory work damages a worker’s eyes, causing him to go blind.

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