Actress and director Angelina Jolie met Pope Francis on Thursday and also held a private screening of "Unbroken" at the Vatican for the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
Jolie, a United Nations Refugee Ambassador, said in a statement released to Us Weekly, “Being invited with my film to the Vatican is an honor and a great tribute to the story that I have told in 'Unbroken.' The story of the hero Louis a great example of strength and forgiveness."
“Unbroken” is about the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete whose plane crashed and he spent 47 days on a life raft before being captured.
Of Zamperini, Jolie has told Us Weekly in the past, "I love this man [Louis] so much, I was so in awe of him. I believed so much in his message. I feel it so important that, when I felt overwhelmed by it all, I was so driven to get it right that I was fine to work all night long on it."
Jolie brought her two oldest daughters with her, and Us Weekly said her husband, Brad Pitt, was supposed to attend as well but had a last-minute conflict.
"Pope Francis, aware of the incredible life story of Louis Zamperini, graciously welcomed the opportunity to view the film and is expected to attend the screening at the Casina Pio IV, headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences," said a Universal Pictures Italia press release given to Us Weekly.
The Daily Beast reported that Pope Francis didn’t actually watch the movie. “It was seen by a small delegation of star-struck prelates and dignitaries who later described the film as ‘moving,’” the Beast wrote.
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