The Jewish Cardinal

A dramatic clash of ecclesiastical politics and spiritual soul-searching, <strong>THE JEWISH CARDINAL</strong> is the remarkable true story of the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants who, while maintaining his Jewish identity, became leader of the French church and close confidant to the Pope.

Jean-Marie Lustiger (born Aaron) converted to Roman Catholicism as a teenager, later joining the priesthood and quickly rising within the ranks to become adviser to Pope John Paul II. A maverick outsider, he utilized his dual identity to advance Jewish-Catholic relations, a unique platform that earned him both friends and enemies. His allegiances are further tested by a unique Carmelite monastery operating within the walls of Auschwitz, the Holocaust death camp where his mother perished. Estranged from his father (Henri Guybet) who survived the war, Jean-Marie's cousin Fanny (Audrey Dana) becomes his only remaining family link.

Laurent Lucas brings intensity and heartache to his role as the cardinal who faces a crisis of faith while Aurélien Recoing gives a tour de force portrayal of the reform-minded pontiff. Helmed by Ilan Duran Cohen and shot on location in Paris and Rome, this handsomely mounted historical biopic is winner of the Best French TV Grand Prix prize at the Festival de Luchon.