The Young Pope

'The Young Pope' is a 10-episode fiction produced by the channels Sky, HBO, and Canal Plus that marks the first television project for director Paolo Sorrentino, Oscar winner for 'The Great Beauty'. Pope Pius XIII, Lenny Belardo before taking on that role, is the protagonist of the fiction, unexpectedly chosen to hold the position in the Vatican. He becomes the first American pontiff, and also the youngest, in history.

This, which at first could be seen as a media decision made by the Catholic Church to present itself to the world, will not have the expected results, and his election soon becomes a problem for those who supported him. Pius XIII, with a rather contradictory personality, becomes a very conservative, unpredictable, and secretive pope, who refuses to appear in public and challenges the media strategies of the modern Church. 

Throughout the series, the new pontiff imposes a radical vision of Catholicism, based on mystery and absolute authority, while dealing with his own internal conflicts: a childhood marked by abandonment, an intense but doubt-filled faith, and a constant tension between the need for love and the exercise of power. Key figures from the Vatican cross his path, such as the cunning Cardinal Voiello, who tries to politically maneuver to control him, and Sister Mary, a nun close to Lenny who acts as his emotional and moral support. The series combines political intrigue, spiritual reflection, and a stylized staging to portray a Church that is as human as it is contradictory.

Created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, 'The Young Pope' premiered in 2016. Among its cast, Jude Law as Lenny Belardo or Pius XIII, Diane Keaton as Sister Mary, and Silvio Orlando as Cardinal Angelo Voiello.