Padre Pio Sanctus

Francesco Forgione, canonized as a saint and known to the world as Padre Pio, had his humble roots in the town of Pietrelcina, Italy. At an early age, Forgione felt the call to religious life as a Capucin friar and spent the majority of his life at San Giovanni Rotondo, where his charismatic presence attracted penitents to his confessional and inspired the formation of prayer groups all over the world. A prolific writer who described his inner life and spiritual struggle as he coped with great physical pain, mental temptation, visions, and his experience of the stigmata (a physical manifestation of the wounds of Christ), Padre Pio's life is presented in this documentary that mixes contemporary and archival footage and stills, various interviews, and the words of the saint himself. Such material could easily be the stuff of hagiography and religious sentimentality, but (miracle!) thanks to the breathtaking photography of the Italian countryside, penetrating and objective reporting, and judicious editing, Padre Pio Sanctus is an objective and compelling portrait of this 20th century saint. DVD extras include 75 minutes worth of bonus footage spread over 25 film clips in eight categories (with footage of the beatification and canonization), as well as additional language tracks in Italian, French, Spanish, and German. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (J. Reed)