Pope Francis and environmental activists are featured in the film ‘The Letter’.  The documentary film about the Pope’s meetings with supporters of the Laudato Si’ movement talks about the power of humanity to stop the ecological crisis.

The film, screened at 6.30 p.m. Rome time in the Aula Nuova of the Synod in Vatican City, recounts the journey to Rome of several leaders, committed to the care of the common home, to discuss the Encyclical Laudato Si’ with Pope Francis. The exclusive dialogue with the Pope, included in the film, offers a revealing glimpse into Pope Francis’ personal history and stories never before seen since he became Bishop of Rome. The film features an indigenous leader from the Amazon, a climate refugee and student from Senegal, a young activist from India, and a team of scientists from the United States, representing often unheard voices in the global dialogue about our planet. This is the first time a film featuring a Pope will be available for free through a streaming service.

Produced by the Oscar-winning Off the Fence team in collaboration with the Laudato Si’ Movement, the film was directed by Emmy-winning director Nicolas Brown. The trailer and the film will be available on YouTube Originals.

The documentary ‘The Letter’ was presented on Tuesday 4 October in the Holy See Press Room. A singular date, not only because it is the Solemnity of St. Francis of Assisi, but also because today marks the official entry into force of the Holy See’s and the Vatican City Governorate’s adhesion to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The cardinal stressed that in his encyclical Laudato si’ Pope Francis wants to enter into dialogue with all the inhabitants of planet Earth, our common home.

Hoesung Lee, president of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, also spoke at the presentation of the documentary, emphasising the importance of the alliance between faith and science in order to stem the many risks associated with climate change.