‘I’m Jewish and gay… but still found the Pope inspiring’
Francine Wolfisz speaks to film director Evgeny Afineevsky about his intimate portrait of the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the forthcoming documentary, Francesco
When it comes to different walks of life, film-maker Evgeny Afineevsky is more than just a few miles away from His Holiness Pope Francis.
One is a Russian-born Jewish, openly gay director; the other, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, which has for centuries viewed homosexuality as ‘deviant behaviour’.
And yet the two men have reportedly become firm friends through the three-year process of Afineevsky’s latest project, Francesco, an intimate portrait of the 266th papal leader featuring unprecedented access to the Pope himself.
Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up
In the documentary, which is available to stream from Sunday on Discovery+, the pontiff offers his views on everything from climate change, empowering women and the global migrant crisis to far more controversial topics, such as the Catholic Church’s handling of recent sexual abuse allegations – a matter that resulted in the Pope acknowledging “grave errors” and apologising publicly to the victims.
More contentious yet are comments made by the Pope that same-sex couples should be accepted and permitted to have “civil unions”.
As he says in the film: “Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable because of it. What we have to create is a civil union law.”
Given the Pope’s more progressive stance and ability to reach out to people of all creeds and identities, Afineevsky felt that perhaps he was not so very distant from the sovereign of the Vatican City State, a feeling that spurred him on to realise his ambitious project.
The 48-year-old, who was Oscar and Emmy-nominated for his documentary Winter On Fire, about the 2013 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, says of the pope: “He’s a very open person. On the television, he seems like someone who is unreachable and superior to other human beings, but when you meet this person, you see your brother, your father, someone who is willing to listen, accommodate and even share a joke with you.
“There is no distance between you and him, which is remarkable. You can share anything with him.”
Still, I ask, was there any sense of conflict between his own identity and the ideological views of the Pope and the Catholic Church?
For Afineevsky, who was born in Kazan, western Russia, before moving to Israel and then, as an adult, relocating to the United States, there were no issues about remaining objective, he says, much as he has been with his previous projects.
“With Winter on Fire, it was about Ukraine and I am a child of Russia, but I did it despite Russia and Ukraine being in a kind of conflict, because of the importance of the story.
“When working on my film Cries From Syria, about the Syrian Civil War, I am a former Israeli who served in the Israel Defense Forces, but I told this story for the innocent affected by this conflict.
“As a film-maker, it’s important to be objective and bring attention to these disasters. I also need to be true to myself, but I’ve never had a problem in my identity coming from the other side of the issue.”
So it is for his latest film subject. “I found enormous inspiration in Pope Francis,” he continues. “I’m not changing my faith because of him, but I have changed my way of living, still being Jewish and gay.”
That sense of inspiration features strongly in the documentary. Since 2013, the pope has traversed the globe, including making a poignant trip to Israel just a year into his papacy. At the Western Wall in Jerusalem, he was pictured in a moment of interfaith union, as he embraced Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Muslim leader Imam Omar Abboud – both contemporaries of his from his native Buenos Aires.
Then, at Auschwitz in 2016, the pontiff eschewed making a speech, instead spending time in silent prayer before meeting several Holocaust survivors.
“He tried to give silence to this place that brought silence to so many human lives,” reflects Afineevsky. “At the same time, the action of staying silent spoke far louder than words.”
For the film-maker, perhaps Pope Francis’ most “remarkable” action to date is that of his handling of recent sex abuse allegations.
In 2015, he was chided for supporting Chilean bishop Juan Barros, who was accused of covering up sex crimes committed by fellow bishop Fernando Karadima against minors.
What impresses Afineevsky is that, within the next three years, the Pope’s views on this matter had evolved dramatically. Several high-ranking church leaders who were accused of sexual abuse were removed from office, the Vatican launched an investigation and, most significantly for the victims, including Juan Carlos Cruz, who is now an advocate and also features in the documentary, Pope Francis issued an apology.
“He said sorry, on behalf of the entire institution, and then took action – which is remarkable,” says Afineevsky.
“For the first time, we see a Pope fighting corruption, who is trying to bring more transparency to the church and bring faith back into the institution. For the first time, we see a man of action, not a man
of words.”
- Francesco is available to stream on Discovery+ from Sunday, 28 March
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
-
By Brigit Grant
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)
-
By Laurent Vaughan - Senior Associate (Bishop & Sewell Solicitors)