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Movie and TV Discussion => New Movies => Topic started by: Barry on May 31, 2026, 10:41:08 AM

Title: The Vatican’s 45 Favorite Movies.
Post by: Barry on May 31, 2026, 10:41:08 AM

I did not know that the Vatican had a list of their favorite movies. And I am surprised that the list contains many of my favorites also. 2001 Is included, which is  as non-religion as you can get.

Here is the list, broken down into three categories:

The Vatican’s 45 greatest films:
Religion

• Andrei Rublev (1966)
• Babette’s Feast (1987)
• Ben-Hur (1959)
• The Flowers of St. Francis (1950)
• Francesco (1989)
• The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1966)
• La Passion de Notre Seigneur Jesus-Christ (1905)
• A Man for All Seasons (1966)
• The Mission (1986)
• Monsieur Vincent (1947)
• Nazarin (1958)
• Ordet (1955)
• The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
• The Sacrifice (1986)
• Therese (1986)

Values

• Au Revoir les Enfants (1988)
• Bicycle Thieves (1949)
• The Burmese Harp (1956)
• Chariots of Fire (1981)
• Dekalog (1988)
• Dersu Uzala (1975)
• Gandhi (1982)
• Intolerance (1916)
• It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
• On the Waterfront (1954)
• Rome, Open City (1945)
• Schindler’s List (1993)
• The Seventh Seal (1957)
• The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
• Wild Strawberries (1957)

Art

• Citizen Kane (1941)
• 8½ (1963)
• Fantasia (1940)
• Grand Illusion (1937)
• La Strada (1954)
• The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
• The Leopard (1963)
• Little Women (1933)
• Metropolis (1927)
• Modern Times (1936)
• Napoleon (1927)
• Nosferatu (1922)
• Stagecoach (1939)
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
• The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Title: Re: The Vatican’s 45 Favorite Movies.
Post by: David Vaughn on May 31, 2026, 05:08:22 PM

I'm shocked the Schindler's List is there given how the Catholic Church failed to denounce Nazi Germany and their treatment of Jews before and during WWII. 

Title: Re: The Vatican’s 45 Favorite Movies.
Post by: David Vaughn on May 31, 2026, 05:09:42 PM

One other thing...the latest movie that has made their list was in 1993--Schindler's List (what a coincidence) and no movie sense then. What does that say about modern cinema?

Title: Re: The Vatican’s 45 Favorite Movies.
Post by: bmoney on June 01, 2026, 07:18:54 AM

Shocked Borat and passion of Christ didn’t make the list lol

Title: Re: The Vatican’s 45 Favorite Movies.
Post by: SRW1000 on June 01, 2026, 06:54:10 PM

The surprise for me is that Star Wars is missing from any of the three lists.  When it came out 49 years ago it was hailed by those in the faith community as a pathway for the youth to find value and encouragement in spirituality.

Title: Re: The Vatican’s 45 Favorite Movies.
Post by: David Vaughn on June 01, 2026, 10:12:23 PM

Quote from: SRW1000 on June 01, 2026, 06:54:10 PM

The surprise for me is that Star Wars is missing from any of the three lists.  When it came out 49 years ago it was hailed by those in the faith community as a pathway for the youth to find value and encouragement in spirituality.

Very good point.