Pope Leo XIV Meets Hollywood Stars at Vatican Film Summit; Reveals His Favourite Films

The Vatican threw open its gates to Hollywood this weekend as Pope Leo XIV welcomed a glittering crowd of actors and filmmakers into the Apostolic Palace for a rare and extraordinary meeting about the power of cinema.

The surreal scene unfolded in the ornate halls of the Vatican, where red carpets were swapped for marble floors and Oscar winners mingled under Renaissance frescoes as the Catholic Church made one of its boldest attempts yet to engage with the modern world.

The gathering, organised by the Vatican's culture ministry, comes amid growing fears over the future of cinema.

The Pope had already sparked global discussion days earlier when he revealed his four favourite films in a video that went viral last Wednesday. But nothing prepared the entertainment world for what came next.

'Cinema Sets Hope in Motion'

In a dramatic and deeply poetic address, Pope Leo praised cinema as one of humanity's greatest storytelling forces, insisting it holds the power to connect, heal and inspire.

'I find comfort in the thought that cinema is not just moving pictures; it sets hope in motion,' he told the stunned crowd.

He thanked filmmakers for reaching people in moments of restlessness and searching.

'Through your productions, you connect with people who are looking for entertainment, as well as those who carry within their hearts a sense of restlessness and are looking for meaning, justice and beauty,' he said.

The Pope then delivered one of the most striking descriptions of cinema ever uttered by a pontiff.

'Cinema is much more than just a screen. It is a sensory journey in which light pierces the darkness and words meet silence. As the plot unfolds, our mind is educated, our imagination broadens, and even pain can find new meaning.'

The Hollywood guests nodded, some visibly moved.

Pope Leo Warns of Cinema's 'Troubling Decline'

But the Pontiff also struck a somber note, issuing a stark warning about the decline of cinemas around the world as streaming continues to dominate.

'Cinemas are experiencing a troubling decline, with many being removed from cities and neighborhoods,' he said.

He urged studios, institutions and cultural leaders to fight to preserve the theatre experience.

'I urge institutions not to give up but to cooperate in affirming the social and cultural value of this activity.'

He ended with a blessing that sounded almost like a prayer for the entire film industry.

'May your cinema always be a meeting place and a home for those seeking meaning and a language of peace. May it never lose its capacity to amaze and even continue to offer us a glimpse, however small, of the mystery of God.'

A-List Reactions: Spike Lee Brings a Gift and Cate Blanchett Praises the Pope

After his soaring speech, Pope Leo spent nearly an hour chatting with the celebrities who had travelled from across the world to meet him.

Spike Lee, wearing his trademark bold colours, said he was 'surprised' to receive an invitation. The director presented the Pope, a known Chicago Bulls supporter, with a New York Knicks jersey.

Lee laughed as he explained that although the Pope may cheer for the Bulls, the Knicks currently have three players from his alma mater, Villanova University.

Cate Blanchett, radiant in minimalist black, called the Pope's message inspiring.

She praised his recognition of the emotional and cultural weight of filmmaking, saying:
'Filmmaking is about entertainment, but it's about including voices that are often marginalized and not shy away from the pain and complexity that we're all living through right now.'

The gathering was coordinated over the last three months, according to Archbishop Paul Tighe of the Vatican's culture ministry, who said the guest list was assembled with the help of Hollywood insiders, including legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese.

A Historic Meeting Between Faith and Film

While popes have met with artists before, the magnitude of this gathering and the emotional weight of the Pope's words stunned many in the room. It was a remarkable collision of faith, art and celebrity, underscored by a shared concern for the future of the silver screen.

In a palace built centuries before cinema even existed, Pope Leo XIV made his message unmistakably clear: the world needs movies, and the Church is not ready to see them fade.