José Enrique García, a Claretian missionary, student in the Faculty of Communication at the Pontifical University of the Holy See, has presented at the University the film Claret. He was joined by the film's director Pablo Moreno. CARF spoke with them.
On January 13, 2022, in the Aula Magna "John Paul II" of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross took place the presentation in Italy of the projection of the film "Claret". This film deals with the life and work of the Spanish Archbishop Anthony Mary Claret, founder of the Claretian Missionaries.
The initiative, sponsored by CARF - Centro Académico Romano Fundación, is the first to see the students of the different faculties as protagonists in proposing and organizing cultural and educational events.
In this case, it was José Enrique García Rizo, young priest missionary Claretian who took the initiative to present the film, the result of a joint work between the Congregation of the Claretian Missionaries and the production, to the entire University.
Also present at the presentation was the director of the film, Pablo Moreno, together with Father Manolo Tamaro, General Treasurer of the Claretians and Sergio Cardoso, actor and composer of the soundtrack of "Un Dios prohibido", also directed by Moreno.
Everyone loved the film, especially the non-Spanish audience that does not know much about the life and work of the Claretians and their founder. It was shown with Italian subtitles.
I had the opportunity to meet both Pablo Moreno and José Enrique García at a typical Roman lunch. They told me aspects of their lives and we talked about this great project.
José Enrique: how was this experience? You have been the first student to inaugurate this new "Vida Universitaria" initiative, so congratulations!
The truth is that I am very grateful to the University for setting up this space. I believe that the greatest asset of a university center is, first of all, its faculty (without them there is nothing). And secondly, its students (since they are its main ambassadors). Therefore, the fact that they have provided a space so that, as students, we can organize events for the rest of the university community, is a privilege that does not exist in all universities.
In addition, as a communication student, it was also an opportunity to put into practice some of the skills you are acquiring at the University....
That's right... I am currently in my last year of my Bachelor's Degree in Institutional Communication in the Church. And notice that it all started with a conversation with my superiors. They shared that the Congregation, following the signs of the times, asks to prepare missionaries to evangelize through the digital world.
From there came the spark that launched me to look for where in the world the best communication for evangelization is taught. And the first thing I did was to contact my two references in Church communication at that time: Fr. SM Dani, and Gustavo Entrala (popularly known for being the one who convinced the Holy Father to open a twitter account). Gustavo responded quickly and offered me a list of possibilities according to my needs.
Santa Cruz was the best positioned in terms of budget, content, faculty and, of course, location. Luckily I have a friend from the university who also came here to specialize and he put me in contact with Professor Sergio Tapia who explained the entire curriculum to me, and here I am.
An Andalusian in Rome!
I was born in Seville and spent the first twenty years of my life there. My family, a gift from heaven. My parents and my older sister have taken care of me and loved me so that I could be what I am called to be. And how not, to talk about my grandmother who lived near my house, she is probably the biggest culprit that today I am a Claretian Missionary priest.
How was that?
I feel that I have been a Christian until I was sixteen years old by inertia, by my family, my environment. At that age I entered the Claret School in Seville where I was aware of meeting God through some experiences offered by the school of contact with the suffering reality of our world. I went with "children" as they called them. In reality, people from forty to seventy years old with the mind of a child of three or ten years old.
Here I experienced through them the love of God, I felt that he was asking me for something more and after six years I decided to be honest with myself and follow his will. I went to Granada where we have the formation house and since then more than ten years have passed. I am a Missionary Priest, Son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a title of which I am most honored.
I imagine that the figure of the founder must have been important to you, Antonio Maria Claret...
Of course! What especially moves me about his person are two things: first of all his missionary zeal to bring the good news to everyone "by all means", always with creativity guided by the spirit and above all with great attention to detail. Always the best for the mission, and austerity in his own life.
Secondly, the strength of the shared mission in his life. He soon realized that alone he could reach almost no one, and from the beginning he was concerned to involve others in the same spirit. This trait is especially present in our congregation and challenges me deeply.
José Enrique García Rizo, a Claretian missionary, student in the Faculty of Communication at the Pontifical University of the Holy See, presented the film Claret at the University, inaugurating a new space called University Life.
On why he is studying at Holy Cross, the young priest explains: "It all started with a conversation with my superiors. They shared that the Congregation, following the signs of the times, asks to prepare missionaries to evangelize through the digital world. From there came the spark that launched me to look for where in the world the best communication for evangelization is taught".
How was the film project born?
Pablo Moreno knew us from the film Un Dios Prohibido. In his cinematographic career, he was specializing in to present the figure of founding or significant religiousand it occurred to him to propose to us to make a film about Claret. The initiative seemed very interesting to us, something that we have always thought of doing in the Congregation. Now this opportunity was within our reach with a low budget and a guarantee of quality in the final product.
Many people have put enthusiasm, time and energy into this project, but I would like to highlight three of them: Pablo Moreno (director of the film), and on behalf of the Congregation, Father Carlos Sánchez cmf (expert in the Founder's history), Father Manolo Tamargo cmf (the person ultimately responsible for the project).
Therefore, we spoke with the Claretian Family to share the initiative. All the branches supported it. At the same time, we looked for ways to finance a work that, although it had a very low budget for a feature film, involved a considerable outlay. Fortunately, years ago, the Congregation had created a fund to spread the figure of Father Claret and his charism.
Was it a difficult job?
Quite a lot. First of all, a commission was created with the participation of members of two branches of the Claretian Family, among them some of the general governments, to follow up on the elaboration of the script, in a way that responded to what was to be communicated. After five months of intense work and 17 drafts, a final version was reached. From there, filming could be carried out a few months before the start of the pandemic.
The first result of the film was again subjected to revision, some scenes were cut, others were added... until the final version was reached. When Covid allowed it, the "premiere" took place in Madrid and Rome and a few months later, it was released in commercial cinemas in Spain. If everything goes according to plan, during 2022 it will be available throughout America and part of Europe.
The Claretians also worked with Pablo Moreno on other projects. Which ones?
The relationship with Pablo Moreno is very close. Certainly "Un Dios Prohibido" marked a before and after in his cinema. It was also his initiative, supported and financed by the Congregation, which resulted in a powerful film that, despite some technical deficiencies due to the low budget, has done and will continue to do a lot of good for many people.
It should be noted that Pablo is a great artist. Films of this genre are a challenge for a director. How do you make the invisible visible? We are talking about a charisma, about an ordinary man through whom God acts and does extraordinary things. It's difficult to reflect that without presenting a superhero far from others.
In the case of this film Claret, I think it is very successful. Being a Claretian, I saw it and said: "I have to read more about my founder, I didn't know that". After all, it arouses curiosity to go deeper. We will see in the near future what awaits us. There we have some things that for now are dreams.
José Enrique García Rizo: "I am very grateful to the University for setting up this space. I believe that the greatest asset of a university center is, first of all, its faculty (without them there is nothing). And secondly, its students, since they are its main ambassadors".
We talked to Pablo Moreno, director of the film. Thank you for your availability to be here at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. I had the opportunity to see your film "A Forbidden God" a few years ago and I was very moved.
I really enjoyed my experience at Holy Cross. It seems to me a modern University that combines very well the former with the present. It gave me a very good impression, as well as its professors, the people in charge, and the students.
Being a Christian actor and film director is also a great vocation, as is being a missionary....
Yes, I've wanted to work in film ever since I was a child; I used to make short films with my friends. Over time, this dream became a certainty and, in the end, my profession. My faith has helped me to give meaning to everything.
The first cinematographic experiences of my youth (with Sergio Cardoso, my friend, actor and composer of the soundtrack of "Un Dios prohibido") were the seed of that vocation of wanting to tell stories through film. I studied Teaching, my other vocation, and three years later, I managed to enter the second cycle of Audiovisual Communication at the Civil University of Salamanca. While I was studying, I set up the production company with some friends and we have been working all this time making films.
A wonderful project, but I imagine that, at least in Europe, it is difficult to make films in the Christian field. In fact, it is easier to imagine the big American productions like "The Chosen", which are having a lot of success and an international following.
The Americans are years ahead of us. For them, the film industry has always been very important. From the beginning they knew how to see the potential it had. Film is nourished by our culture. For this reason, the stories we tell through film unite us as a civilization, change our thinking and offer us distant realities. Deep down and through film, Hollywood has conquered us culturally.
That's why I'm not surprised to find such great examples as "The Chosen". A good product, well made and financed with the support of those who want this kind of formats and stories. In this sense, we still have a long way to go in Europe because deep down we have certain complexes that we have to overcome, such as approaching films that talk about the religious fact with absolute normality. Catholics are part of this society and we have a lot to offer.
Faith, cinema, family... How do you reconcile all this in your life?
Juggling, sometimes you think you can not reconcile (it is not easy), but not impossible, fortunately my wife is also dedicated to this profession, we make a good tandem.
Your faith is very visible in your work, but in a discreet, non-invasive way... This is something I like very much.
My spiritual life is nothing spectacular, I have not had a conversion in the style of the sex symbol who converts and leaves everything behind (obviously I am not a sex symbol). sex symbol). I grew up in a family where the Faith was important, a family of diocesan Christians, we have not been linked to any movement, nor are we part of any other group.
Life in the parish was always very rich and the diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo itself was always like that mother who embraces us and shows us the way. I guess I have been lucky to meet good priests, with initiative and cultural sensitivity, concerned about the world and that has deeply influenced the way I see the world and the way I see myself in the Church as a living stone.
A Forbidden God, Claret and many others. Which is the figure that had the greatest impact on you? And the film you were most excited to shoot?
I couldn't choose just one. Deep down, every film we make leaves a mark on us. With a forbidden God I learned a lot, it was a very intense experience and changed me profoundly, from then on each founder, foundress or charisma has left us something important and I feel that I owe them a lot.
Watching the film, I was very impressed by the role of the press in slandering Claret. It seems to me that we are experiencing many similar things today, but, if we look at it with the eyes of faith, in the end the truth always comes out. As a Christian director and actor, your mission is to spread the truth through beauty. Do you have a "teacher" or inspirer?
That's a very nice way of putting it, spreading the truth from beauty. Yes, there are directors who are obligatory reference, Dreyer, Riddley Scott, Fellini, Pasolini, Wes Anderson, Jean-Pierre Jeunet .... And many more, there are always people you admire.
But perhaps the people who inspire me most are the people around me, my family, my wife, my children, my parents, the women over 60 in the theater group, my co-workers, or the priest who brings the word to the almost abandoned villages in the southwest of Salamanca. Each of these people are artists in their own way and make the world more beautiful every day.
"To really listen, and to confront those cultures, those languages, even and above all the unspoken, the unexpressed, with the Word of God, with Jesus Christ, the living Gospel." He now repeats the question of whether "this is not the most urgent task of the Church among the peoples of Europe".
Pope Francis
Pablo Moreno, director of the film, was present at the presentation of the film Claret at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
"Since I was a child, I have wanted to dedicate myself to filmmaking; I used to make short films with my friends. Over time this dream became a certainty, and eventually my profession. My faith has helped me to give meaning to everything. My first works were with Sergio Cardoso, my friend, actor and composer of the soundtrack of "Un Dios prohibido".
Gerardo Ferrara
BA in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East.
Responsible for the student body
University of the Holy Cross in Rome
