We could all use a little faith right now, and Portuguese drama Fatima may be the saving grace we need. It’s based on a true historical occurrence in the remote parish of Fatima, Portugal, and stars Joaquim de Almeida as a few of the spiritualists and skeptics at the centre of the whole religious controversy.
But what exactly is the story of Fatima? Since the movie is currently playing in cinemas around Australia, here’s our rundown of what you need to know before seeing Marco Pontecorvo’s adaptation of the tale for the big screen.
Basically, the story of Fatima is considered by many to be a 20th century Joan of Arc situation, in which a devout 10-year-old girl Lúcia dos Santos and her two younger cousins claimed to be blessed with multiple sightings of the Virgin Mary.
The children’s visions took place during the final violent ripples of the Great War in 1917, and Lúcia claimed that the Mother of God told her that only prayer would bring an end to the violence and displacement. Of course, both secular and religious forces around Portugal and greater Catholicism were highly skeptical, not believing that a mere group of shepherd children would be chosen to deliver such a message.
But dos Santos and her cousins also had the support and faith of many, with Christians from all over Europe setting out on pilgrimages to Fatima to pray with the children. Ultimately growing up to be a nun, dos Santos never recanted her belief in the visions.
Whether you think the story is a powerful religious fable or just some superstitious exaggeration, it’s definitely worth checking out the above trailer, to get a sense of Fatima’s terrific child acting and gorgeously rustic visuals. The film is currently screening in cinemas around Australia.
