Roberto Rossellini - Francesco, giullare di Dio aka Flowers Of St. Francis (1950)

Roberto Rossellini and co-writer Federico Fellini lovingly render the very spirit of Franciscan teaching in this extraordinarily fresh and simple film which was unappreciated at the time of its release, but now regarded as one of his greatest. Shot in a neorealist manner with non-professional actors (including thirteen real Franciscan monks from the convent of Nocere Inferiore) it avoids the pious clichés of hallowed movie saints with an economy of expression and a touching, human quality.





In the midst of a torrential rain, Brother Francis of Assisi (Brother Nazario Gerardi) in the province of Umbria and his disciples arrive at their outpost in the rural village of Rivo Torto to seek shelter from the inclement weather, only to be driven away by a trespassing peasant who, along with his donkey, have forcibly laid claim to the modest hut. It is a base and uncivilized response that Brother Francis optimistically rationalizes by remarking "Have we not now reason to rejoice? Providence at last has made us useful to others" before continuing on their journey. Arriving at the abandoned ruins of the chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, the friars set up camp on the outskirts of town where they immediately begin to reconstruct the derelict chapel and upon completion, set out in the morning on daily communal interactions with the villagers, propelled by their spiritual mentor's words of guidance to set an example for others and "engage in honest work and make yourselves not dependent on each other". Regrettably, but amusingly, the selfless intent of the charitable gesture is taken all too literally by the naive Brother Ginepro who invariably returns to camp in a state of undress, often offering his sole remaining possession - his cassock - to beggars on the street. Relegated by Francis to the confined task of cooking meals within the camp in order to keep him from falling prey to opportunists in the village, Ginepro is soon kept company by an endearing, but absent-minded old man named Giovanni who has arrived at the chapel with a bull in tow demanding to speak with 'Saint' Francis, having decided to forsake his family (who, in turn, seem more perturbed by the loss of the useful farm animal than by the desertion of their dotty patriarch) and follow Francis in his humble vocation. However, worn down by the hapless and trouble-prone Ginepro's interminable attempts to return to ministry service, Francis accommodates his request and sends him out into the countryside, where a fateful encounter with a ruthless and megalomaniacal tyrant named Nicolaio (Aldo Fabrizi) becomes a test of absolute faith.

Shooting primarily in exterior spaces, using unobtrusive camerawork, and incorporating natural environment with a cast of non-professional actors (with monks from the Nocere Inferiore Monastery playing the roles of St. Francis and his disciples), Roberto Rossellini creates a sense of timelessness and contemporary relevance to the universal themes of humility, compassion, faith, sacrifice, and community in The Flowers of St. Francis. Depicting episodes in the life of St. Francis and the nascent Franciscan movement as mundane events in a personal search for existential purpose and inner peace, Rossellini captures a tangible and corporeal essence to spirituality and benediction: the incident at Rivo Torto, his meeting with Sister Clare (Arabella Lemaitre) who would later found the Clarissines (or Poor Clares, the second Franciscan order modeled after his doctrine of absolute poverty, charity, and service), his encounter with a leper (which historically occurs earlier in his life), his communion with nature (that led to his identification as patron saint of animals and the environment). By portraying St. Francis and his disciples within the context of everyday human struggle through all its simple joys and disappointments, celebrations and travails, the film presents a remarkably lucid and accessible portrait of the interrelation between humanity and spiritual enlightenment. (Acquarello @ Strictly Film School)





Francisco, juglar de Dios
La película no es una biografía de Francisco, sino once episodios tomados de las Florecillas, en los que se manifiesta el espíritu de la reforma franciscana. En ella se ilustra un breve periodo de tiempo de la vida de la primera comunidad franciscana, desde el regreso de Francisco de Roma hasta la separación de los discípulos, enviados a predicar la palabra de Dios a todo el mundo; sirven como introducción al relato algunos cuadros que reproducen frescos de los siglos XIII y XIV sobre la vida de Francisco. Federico Fellini es co-autor del guión.



Les Onze fioretti de François d'Assise
Inspiré des Fioretti – de courts écrits tirés de la vie de François d'Assise – ce film retrace en onze tableaux le quotidien des frères franciscains. Onze sketchs qui retracent la vie et les principaux actes de François d'Assise qui a embrassé la religion et parses efforts, a tenté d'établir une harmonie entre la vie et la spiritualité, ainsi que d'autres moines du XIIIè siècle en Ombrie.



Il film non è una biografia del Santo, ma consta di undici episodi, tratti dai Fioretti, nei quali si manifesta lo spirito della riforma francescana. Vi è illustrato un breve periodo della vita della prima comunità francescana, dal ritorno di Francesco da Roma al separarsi dei discepoli, inviati a predicare la parola di Dio in tutto il mondo; servono da introduzione al racconto alcuni quadri riproducenti affreschi del duecento e del trecento sulla vita di Francesco.





5D