Director Martin Scorsese discusses meeting ‘disarming’ Pope Francis

Director Martin Scorsese said his meeting in Rome with Pope Francis had both emotionally moving and lighthearted moments, with the pope even cracking a joke about getting actor Andrew Garfield to join the priesthood.

Scorsese met Pope Francis at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Wednesday to discuss his upcoming film “Silence,” where Garfield and Adam Driver portray Jesuit priests in 17th century Japan.

Scorsese said he mentioned to the pope, a member of the Jesuit order, that Garfield had gone through the Jesuits’ 30 days of spiritual exercises before starting the film.

“And (the pope) said the next thing for Andrew to do is to be ordained,” Scorsese recalled, speaking during the first screening of “Silence” in Los Angeles Sunday night. “And I looked at the pope and said, ‘Instead he got me.’ And there was a big laugh. And it really loosened up.”

Scorsese said a pre-meeting with the papal staff was filled with discussion of protocol and exact instructions of what to say to the pope. When Pope Francis arrived, however, he immediately put everyone at ease.

“He was the most disarming ... everything was fine,” said Scorsese. “He was smiling and thanked us for being there.”

The pope told Scorsese that he had read the 1966 novel on which the film was based by the late Japanese writer Shusaku Endo, a convert to Catholicism.

“(Pope Francis) did say, I hope the story of the film, knowing the book, bears much fruit,” Scorsese said.

The film follows the two Jesuit priests in Japan, where Christians were persecuted, as they search for their mentor (played by Liam Neeson). Scorsese gave Pope Francis a copy of a painting by a 17th century Japanese artist of a Madonna that was venerated by the Christians who continued to practice the faith underground.

After meeting the pope, Scorsese attended a screening of “Silence” in a Vatican chapel. The director said the film was shown on a screen near a large crucifix.

“So the whole film played on this crucifix, it was quite stunning. It was quite an experience.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Martin Scorsese, left, met with Pope Francis last week. Scorsese’s new film, “Silence,” about Jesuit missionaries, was screened this week in Rome.