El Baño del Papa

From Friday 15th August 2008 | book tickets

1hr 38, Uruguay 2007. Directed by César Charlone and Enrique Fernández. English subtitles.

Inspired by the visit of Pope John Paul II to the unremarkable and impoverished Uruguayan town of Melo on the Brazilian border, this collaborative effort from Oscar-nominated cinematographer César Charlone (City of God) and screenwriter Enrique Fernández is an engaging and affecting drama concerning human aspiration. As news spreads of the papal visit, the townspeople not only hope for a divine blessing, but also for a small share of material happiness from the expected influx of pilgrims. This is an elegantly crafted yet determinedly realist tale of the chaos that ensues when a celebrity comes to town, and of one wonderfully disparate community’s colourful adventures as it attempts to cash in on the event.