For the past year, the Fede e Luce communities in Rome have been gathering for film screenings in a room at the Convent of the Holy Apostles, thanks to our spiritual director, Father Roberto. We've made it a regular tradition.
Last year we watched "Belle and Sebastian" and "The Chronicles of Narnia." This year we came together for "Azur and Asmar" and "I Have Friends in Paradise." With the latter, something extraordinary happened: the director, Fabrizio Maria Cortese, joined us. Fabrizio came right away and watched the film with us. It was deeply moving for everyone.
The film was shot at the Don Guanella Center in Rome with eight actors from the community in the cast. One of them, Paolo Silo, belongs to Fede e Luce—we know him well! The story follows a man who agrees to spend a year working at the Don Guanella Center to avoid prison.
When he arrives, the Director—played by Antonio Catania—lays down the first rule: "Always be kind to the patients, and embrace them whenever they ask." The protagonist struggles at first to adjust to this new life. As Laura said, "he couldn't sleep at night because the boys were snoring, so he'd go sleep in his car. But little by little he grew attached."
He ends up organizing a show with the center's residents, becoming their close friend. Fabrizio told us he bonded quickly with the cast members, but it took several weeks to get their attention—or as he put it, "to achieve silence"—before they could move into rehearsals and then actual filming.
Marco was thrilled to recognize the spot where we often hold our Spring Festival. Gianni came up to me, moved, to say there were children with Down syndrome in the film and asked me to tell his sister.
Fabrizio turned out to be warm and generous with all of us. Who knows what beautiful collaboration might come from this?
PS: The film has had extraordinary success in Hollywood! It was selected for a festival of Italian cinema, past and present. It broke through every cultural barrier, moving the audience to a long ovation and a standing ovation. See more at http://www.aldiladelcinema.com/amici-paradiso-conquista-hollywood/.
Rita Dinale, 2016