Pope Paul VI was a leader in the Catholic Church as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope through one of the most difficult periods in its history - from the Fascist regime and World War II to the constitution of the Italian Republic, from the Second Vatican Council to the protests and the terrorist attacks of the 1960s and 1970s. Paul VI was the first traveling Pope who began to visit the dioceses of the 5 continents like no pope had ever done before. He was the pope who opened a dialogue among religions: for the first time a Pope visited Jerusalem, the Holy Land.

His papacy ran from 1963 to 1978, during which he wrote the prophetic, controversial document Humane Vitae that strongly proclaimed the Church’s teaching on the sacredness of married love and human life, and the evil of contraception which the Pontiff said would open the door to abortion if allowed. This beautifully produced and well-acted movie is a journey into the past of both Italy and the world, in the midst of wars and continuous upheavals, dramatically mixing stunning reconstructions and real film footage.

Actor Fabrizio Gifuni gives a powerful and sensitive performance as Pope Paul VI and how he dealt with so many great challenges in his papacy. This exciting and insightful film covers fifty years of history that changed the Catholic Church and the world.

Special Features include: Special documentary on Pope Paul VI featuring interviews with historian James Hitchcock and Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ.; 16 page Collector’s Booklet written by Carl Olson. Region 1 DVD (playable ONLY in Bermuda, Canada, the Cayman Islands, United States and U.S. territories) in English as well as Italian with English and Spanish subtitles.