Oscar-nominated director Fernando Meirelles was recently in India to talk about his film The Two Popes which releases on Netflix. The story is about conversations between the conservative Pope Benedict and the liberal Pope Francis. Speaking to The Quint, Fernando explained why he chose to make the films and what he learnt.
Why was this a story you wanted to bring about to the lives of people?
Fernando Meirelles: In 2015, they invited me to make any film on the Pope. And I like Pope Francis very much. I think he is a very important voice in the world today and I said yes! This conversation between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis and the script was brilliant. I read it and immediately said, “Yes”.
Did you face problems?
Fernando Meirelles: Only after I signed I realised it was a very difficult script. Because at the end of the day, it was just two old men talking. So, my challenge was how to make this film interesting and entertaining.
Do you personally feel like religion in the current world could sometimes be a powerful and peaceful positive force that could co-exist with the ideas of today?
Fernando Meirelles: I think religion, the way I see it, is more a point to split the world, is used to put people against people, unfortunately. Religion should be about connecting. Religion is really used to put people against people, more than to unite people and that's why I really like Pope Francis. He's trying to create bridges. He visits Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist leaders. He's really trying to make religion one thing. There's really one truth and one God. It doesn't matter how you assess it. A different way to approach the same idea. I am not very religious myself. I am agnostic. I don't believe that there is somebody looking at us, or if I pray somebody is listening. I do believe that there is something connecting us.
Were you at any point afraid that some people might take it as irreverence which could be a good or bad thing?
Fernando Meirelles: No, I never thought about it. I just had this interesting dialogue and I had to make it interesting or appealing to my audiences. The only thing I was telling my actors was to make it personal, like you are talking to your neighbour. The neighbour you don't like. It worked. If I had approached the film like a Pope talking to a cardinal, an institution against institution, it could've been a very boring film. Making it personal and funny helped a lot.
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