Films, TV & Radio

Leading Catholic academics, lawyers and teachers have issued a statement strongly protesting after a diocese screened the 'Kerala Story' a Bollywood drama claiming to be based on fact, showing how three nursing students were allegedly brainwashed by an extremist group to abandon their faith and join a terror organisation. It seems other Catholic dioceses are also considering screening the film. Mo... Read More

On Good Friday, 29 March, the BBC screens the first of three hour-long episodes of its series 'Pilgrimage' following seven celebrity pilgrims, of differing faiths and beliefs, on a spiritual journey across North Wales. This, the sixth series of BBC Two's 'Pilgrimage', takes the well-known personalities along the North Wales Pilgrim's Way. The route celebrates Celtic early Christian saints, and con... Read More

"You can serve your weakness or you can serve your purpose!" This could be a 21st century motivational quote but it was actually said by Mother Cabrini, the first Italian American canonised saint and the subject of the recently released epic drama 'Cabrini' directed by Mexican film maker, Alejandro Monteverde. In the face of opposition from corrupt politicians and bureaucratic Church officials,... Read More

The Inaugural Mass for the 200 Stars of Radio Maria campaign will take place at St Dominic's Priory and Rosary Shrine in London on Monday 25 March at 6pm. There will be a reception afterwards with refreshments, an opportunity to meet other supporters and staff of Radio Maria, and to visit Radio Maria's London studio, located just above the hall. There will also be the Blessing of Nigel Wright's be... Read More

There is a striking bronze of the St Francesca Cabrini, popularly known as Mother Cabrini, in St George's Cathedral in Southwark. A sickly Italian nun, with a passion for the poor, she became one of the first American citizens to be canonised as a saint. I knew nothing about her so I was delighted to be able to watch this beautiful and inspirational new film about her life produced by Metanoia fil... Read More

The long awaited new series of the Chosen begins today - with a two-week run of the first three episodes in cinemas around the UK. Episodes 4 through 6 will come out on 15 February and episodes 7 and 8 will be shown from February 29. Once its theatre run is over, the series will appear on The Chosen app, as well as television and cable. The new series received a rapturous welcome when it premie... Read More

A new season of The Chosen, the popular TV drama series about the ministry of Jesus and his disciples, is about to be released next week (2nd February). This will be season four. To herald this, there was a huge premiere last week (23rd January) in one of the big cinemas in Leicester Square. Cast members were flown over from the US for the full red carpet treatment with flashing lights, microphone... Read More

There's a chance to see the award-winning film: 'Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom' at the Tim Hetherington Film Club, Farm Street this Thursday. On 10 May 2024 it will be 30 years since Nelson Mandela became the first black (Xhosa) president of South Africa. In 1993 with FW de Klerc, he was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the peaceful termination of apartheid and for laying the foundation... Read More

This is a lovely, slightly long (well over two hours) but beautifully filmed movie, written by David Hemingson and directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants and Downsizing). Payne is known for his character driven and social comment films and this film falls into this genre. Set in the 1970s, the film takes place over the Christmas holidays at Barton Academy, a posh boarding school fo... Read More

A new course starting this week at the London Jesuit Centre will explore how films depict salvation of various kinds, and in various ways; how we might reflect on this to deepen our understanding of the Christian understanding of salvation. Participants will have the opportunity to use film as a medium for sustained theological reflection; to explore how ideas are animated and given shape by stori... Read More

Every year over 400 charities, CICs and social enterprises of all shapes and sizes, representing all sorts of causes take part in the Smiley Charity Film Awards, which celebrate great film making that captures hearts and minds. This new film - 'The Servant' - focuses on a day in the life of a Jesuit priest working in a parish with lots of challenges. Dermot Preston is a Jesuit priest serving the p... Read More

With Advent starting - an interesting Sci-fi film called 'The Shift' written and directed by Brock Heasley and produced by Dallas Jenkins of 'The Chosen' fame is about to hit our screens. Although not a Sci-fi devotee, I found the film quite intriguing. It's has a Christopher Nolan feel with the same sense of mystery and disorientation. The story draws on films like the Matrix and the idea that th... Read More

The new film Israelism explores the struggle over control of the narrative concerning the state of Israel within American Jewry. Given the atrocities committed by Hamas fighters on October 7th and the subsequent and ongoing brutal response by the Israeli state in Gaza, along with settler violence in the occupied West Bank, the film has been released at a highly sensitive time. Its very title is pr... Read More

This Thursday, November 16th, marks the 34th anniversary of the martyrdom in San Salvador of six Jesuit priests and their housekeeper and daughter. In 1989, amidst a long and bloody civil war, Ignacio Ellacuria SJ and his colleagues worked tirelessly to secure a negotiated peace. Targeted by the Salvadoran military High Command, they were brutally assassinated in their university residence. The... Read More