Pope to watch ‘anti-Catholic’ Philomena
IT IS the controversial movie that has enraged Catholics throughout the world.
Now, in an extraordinary move, Academy Award-nominated Philomena – billed by one New York critic as a ‘hateful’ attack on Catholicism – is to be screened in front of the Pope.
A spokesman for the drama by Stephen Frears, about a woman forcibly separated from her child in the 1950s, said last night talks with the Vatican were under way about arranging a private screening. ‘We asked for an audience with the Pope and we are in talks with the Vatican about screening the movie to Pope Francis.
‘This has been done through an intermediary and we have had a very good reception.’
The movie has been nominated for Best Picture at both the Baftas and the Oscars. But the story – about shamed Irishwoman Philomena Lee’s journey to be reunited with her son, who was taken from her by nuns and sold for adoption to a family in America at three – has deeply upset many factions of the Catholic faith.
They have accused film makers of distorting the truth about the order of Irish nuns portrayed in the movie.
The film is based on the book, The Lost Child Of Philomena Lee, by journalist and former New Labour spin doctor Martin Sixsmith (played by Steve Coogan), who helped Mrs Lee track down her son.
Mrs Lee, played by Dame Judi Dench in the movie, is leading the Philomena Project, which is campaigning for Ireland to open the adoption records for thousands more mothers whose children ended up in the U.S.
The spokesman for the movie added: ‘We hope that if the Pope does see the movie, his wisdom will influence decision making.’
The movie’s producer, Harvey Weinstein, flew to Switzerland last month to meet with representatives from the Vatican and is co-ordinating the screening.