Castel Gandolfo, close to where the popes usually spend summer vacation, is going to host a film festival to raise awareness about poverty in the world.

It’s called “Finding Vince 400.” It recalls the 400th anniversary of when St. Vincent de Paul began to help the poor.

Just as this saint set out to work with the poor after learning about a family in need, the organizers hope the stories from this festival will help people get involved in the fight against poverty.

FR. TOMAŽ MAVRIC
Superior, Congregation of the Mission
“A lady comes and says to him, ‘Vincent, I don’t know if you know, but here in the village there is an abandoned family. The mother has so many children; they don’t have anything to eat; they are sick; What must we do?’ So while celebrating Mass, he didn’t say his homily but said, ‘After the Eucharist we will all go and visit her.’ So began his personal conversion.”

One of the founders of the festival is actor Clarence Gilyard, who believes filmmakers have a big responsibility in what they produce.

CLARENCE GILYARD
Actor
“Telling the stories of the people, rather than looking for the dollar. So the real foundation is telling your story, telling my story.” “It’s a simple connection between calling storytellers to take some of their time and their resources to do something that essentially should be at top of their priority list. We have so much, we have so much.”

Alma Perez is responsible for the program. She has received 4,000 films from 90 countries, and has selected the best ones for the festival. The important thing is to raise awareness about poverty and respond to it.

ALMA PEREZ
Finding Vince 400 Film Festival
“I think that it is important for us to sit in those rooms and to listen what they are trying to tell us. This is because within their stories we may find answers that can help us understand the situation of poverty, and how can we maybe help save the world, right?”

One of the stars of the festival is Jim Caviezel, actor in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ.” The screenings will take place in Castel Gandolfo, and on Saturday afternoon they will move to the center of Rome.

The organizers hope it will raise awareness of poverty and help take initiatives to end it.

Source: Rome Reports