Vatican aims for an Oscar with the story of Giacomo Mattivi

For the first time in history, the Vatican is aiming for an Oscar nomination with “ Green Lava ,” a 39-minute documentary recounting the life of Giacomo Mattivi. The 25-year-old Italian man suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. His older brother had the same condition and died following a respiratory crisis.

Giacomo Mattivi, a young Italian man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is surrounded by friends in a still from the film “Green Lava.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of “Green Lava”

“Giacomo was in the same room and saw him die. The documentary unflinchingly portrays that moment and the suffering it caused him, also aware that his own future is also marked by the disease. Yet, alongside death, there is also resurrection. In a way, that is the cross running through the entire story, because Giacomo finds the strength not to let himself be defeated and to keep moving forward,” Lia Beltrami, who co-directed the documentary with Ali Aksu, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

Giacomo Mattivi’s daily life The production follows the daily life of this highly intelligent young man with exquisite sensitivity as he dreams of becoming a…