We Have a Pope

Language: Italian
Year: 2011
Director: Nanni Moretti
Starring: Michel Piccoli, Nani Moretti
Genre: Comedy

This is a subject not taken by many mainstream film makers, in spite of the strangeness in the theme of the movie; this film maker (Nanni Moretti) has done a good work to show. As a kind of drama the film is good, but not rib-tickling as the movie poster suggested.

The cardinals of the world are in Vatican City to elect a new pope, as the pope is deceased. After few rounds of voting they select Cardinal Melville as the new pope. But when Melville is about to complete the ceremony by announcing himself from the grand balcony, he breaks down and runs as a panic stricken child. According to the law, the cardinals are not supposed to communicate with the outside world and the vice versa. So until the elect-Pope Melville is good to gain the strength to face the crowd they all have to be inside the palace. They get the help of a psychoanalyst, who finds a cause, but he cannot cure as he is not specialized in the subject and suggests that his wife can help the Pope, who is also a psychoanalyst. Secretly the Vatican spokesman takes the elect-pope out to meet the psychoanalyst. On the way Melville escapes and the authorities could not find him.

 What happens then, how does the cardinals stay in the palace for few days, how the elect-pope is convinced and did Melville takes the Pope position is the rest of the story.

It’s a story of an individual not about religion or god. Every man has a desire, which is buried deep in the heart and mind, and it comes up when it is a right time. Pope or a common man the feelings are same. The story can be intercepted satirically, is the film maker questioning the appointment of the Pope, may be, is he asking that Pope’s are appointed against their wishes? See it for yourself and enjoy.