The Vatican hosted an event combining cinema and spirituality this Saturday (11/15), with Pope Leo XIV gathering over 100 actors, directors and producers at the Apostolic Palace. The conference, which sought to bring the church closer to the world of film, was attended by names such as Cate Blanchett, Spike Lee, Viggo Mortensen, Alison Brie, Monica Bellucci, Dario Argento and Matteo Garrone.
At the end of the private audience, Pope Francis was presented with a rare gift: a personalized New York Knicks jersey, given to him by acclaimed director and screenwriter Spike Lee, an avid New York Knicks fan. The uniform bore the number 14, a nod to the fact that Leo was the 14th pope to use that name, and had his name printed on the back.
Spike Lee just gave the Pope a Knicks jersey at the Vatican pic.twitter.com/kjse2k4fB2
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 15, 2025
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“Speakers of Hope”
During the meeting, the 70-year-old pope praised the power of film as a way to enlighten and inspire. “When the magical light of cinema illuminates darkness, it also illuminates the eyes of the soul,” the Pope said, calling filmmakers “narrators of hope and pioneers of humanity.”
He called on artists to use their stories to address global suffering and promote empathy.
“The Church appreciates your work with light and time, faces and landscapes, words and silence,” the Pope said.
The Vatican said the event aimed to “deepen dialogue with the film community” and explore how creativity can serve the church’s mission at a time of declining interest in religion worldwide.
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Pope Leo and Spike Lee
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Pope Leo and Cate Blanchett
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Papa Leo and Monica Bellucci
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Pope Leo and Sergio Castellitto
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“Extraordinary words,” says Blanchett.
Among those in attendance, Cate Blanchett classified the speech as “gravely relevant.” “I want culture ministers around the world to take note,” the actress said. “He talked about compassion and focusing on the world’s problems.”
In addition to the Australians, other names in attendance included actor Adam Scott, Italian Sergio Castellitto, who played Cardinal Tedesco in the film The Conclave, and Monica Bellucci, who played Mary Magdalene in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.
In his speech, the Pope expressed concern about the “alarming decline” of cinemas, which are becoming increasingly rare in city centres. He called on institutions to work together to preserve the cultural value of the room, and the audience applauded.
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