MADRID, Spain, SEPT. 21, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The first international film festival in honor of Mother Teresa will include a cartoon film on the life and work of the apostle of Calcutta.
«The Fifth Word» will be presented at the November festival organized by Signis International, the worldwide organization of Catholic film producers and directors. Spain-based Pasoalto Original Media Films will present the cartoon.
Pablo Marcet, the producer of the film, said the work aims to reflects as closely as possible the life and work of the founder of the Missionaries of Charity. Theologians were called in to advise the team of scriptwriters.
The finished script was sent to India for review by the superior of the Missionaries of Charity, Sister Nirmala, so that «the spirit of Mother Teresa will be faithfully transmitted,» Marcet said.
The organizing committee of the Calcutta festival rejected a BBC documentary and a film by Dominique Lapierre because they sparked «controversy over the person of Mother Teresa,» he added.
In regard to the title of the cartoon, Marcet said: «It is one of Mother Teresa’s great mottos, and refers to the words of the Gospel: ‘you did it to me.’ For Mother Teresa, the most important of these five words was the last one, ‘me,’ which recalls that every action for the poor was an action with and for God.»
Through Signis-India, Pasoalto is negotiating the distribution channels for «The Fifth Word.» The Spanish producer intends to present the work at the Cannes Film Festival and other forums.
See www.pasoalto.tv.
