This unique four-part film captures in detail the events of Pope John Paul II’s life. Many scenes are spiced with the Pope’s intelligent and kind humour. The viewer is also given the opportunity to reflect on many profound thoughts about love and the meaning of life.

The film begins with the events of the Second World War. It also touches on Karol Wojtyla’s life with his father, his encounters with his love in his youth and other friends and acquaintances. Other important events from Karol Wojtyla’s youth follow, such as his work in a quarry, his artistic work in the theatre, and his inner struggle with the evil and senselessness of war.

Charles decides to take up the vocation of priest. His active resistance to the Nazis, albeit without the use of weapons, is part of this period in his life. Later, Soviet troops arrive and the Nazis are expelled from Poland. This is a new stage in Polish history, the stage of communist terror. Karol Wojtyla begins to work at the university among the students. Because of his strong personality, he becomes a target of surveillance by the secret police.

Karol is ordained a bishop, attends the Second Vatican Council, celebrates mass in Nowa Huta, which was supposed to be a “modern” city without God. There is also an emphasis in the film on depicting the suffering of many other people during communism in Poland.

Charles is elected Pope and chooses the name John Paul II. The film continues with his visit to Poland, meeting Mother Teresa, whose fate appears several times in the film, meeting Romero and other personalities. Of course, the assassination of the Pope and the meeting with Ali Accho and the fall of communism are not missing.

The film outlines John Paul’s views on sexuality, contraception and abortion. It shows the Pope’s reactions to various world conflicts and events and much more.

Parents Guide: A couple of times kissing the lovers. Killing people by shooting them with fighter jets. More times killing people by firing guns. Humiliating Poles and Jews. Beatings with truncheons, fists, torture of prisoners. A few times taking God’s name in vain. Drinking alcohol, smoking several times. War events. A little strange that in the film Pope John Paul II is shown with different people, but not even in one scene with Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected after him, despite the fact that they were very close collaborators.

Cast: Piotr Adamczyk, Olgierd Lukaszewicz, Malgosia Bela, Matt Craven, Hristo Shopov, Ennio Fantastichini, Kenneth Welsh, Raoul Bova, Andrzej Deskur, Weronika Ksiazkiewicz, Roma Gasiorowska, Ken Duken, Luca Ward, Eryk Lubos, Violante Placido, Maja Barelkowska, Grazyna Szapolowska, Radoslaw Pazura, Mateusz Damiecki, Kinga Preis, Tadeusz Bradecki

Crew: Giacomo Battiato

Poland / Italy, 2005

It is beneficial to support valuable art by buying it. Supporting good cinema not only helps the creation of quality films, but it is also a sign of honesty and decency towards the filmmakers.