The festival, an opportunity for dialogue among cultures, is organized by the Rivista del Cinematografo and the Italian Catholic Entertainment Association.
The Iranian film, “Son of Maryam,” is directed by Muslim Hamid Jabelli, and produced by Fereshteh Taerpour.
The festival will open with an international congress, organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, in the University of St. Thomas Aquinas.
The councils´ respective presidents, Cardinal Paul Poupard and Archbishop John P. Foley, will take turns presiding over the two-day congress, Dec. 3-4.
Andrea Piersanti, the festival´s director, said the purpose of the initiative is to seek “the voice of the Spirit in contemporary film productions.”
Awards will be presented to professionals in entertainment, culture and communication who are outstanding in promoting fundamental values.
Among the films chosen for the festival are Nanni Moretti´s “La Stanza del Figlio” (chosen by Italy as a candidate for an Oscar) and Stephen Daldry´s “Billy Elliot.”
