With Pope Francis as our guide, FRANCESCO takes an unsparing look at the most pressing issues of the 21st Century: Economic disparity, race and gender inequality, the climate crisis, COVID-19, immigration, peace and religious tolerance, shining a light on the challenges and consequences that have led us to this moment in time. As we embark on this journey, we discover a leader who demonstrates humility, wisdom and generosity towards all, and whose ideals can help us build a bridge to a better future and thrive as a global community. As a result, the film portrays Pope Francis as a leader who provides hope and inspiration during one of the most unprecedented moments in our lives. Friday, Nov 13, Savor Cinema; Sat, Nov 14, Cinema Paradiso.

Evgeny Afineevsky is an Oscar and Emmy-nominated director, whose documentary, CRIES FROM SYRIA, was an Official Selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Afineevsky won Best Director and earned nomination for Best Documentary from the Critics' Choice Documentary Awards. He and his film earned IPA Satellite Awards nominations for Best Documentary and Best Song in a Documentary for PRAYERS FOR THIS WORLD, performed by Cher. The Awards Circuit Community Awards nominated his movie as Best Documentary Feature for 2017. He won International Documentary Association's Courage Under Fire Award, earned a PGA Award nomination, won a Humanitas Prize and Cinema for Peace Awards as Most Valuable Documentary of the Year, won 32nd Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, Documentaries Without Borders Film Festival and 51st Houston WorldFest Film Festival, as well as the Overseas Press Club's Peter Jennings Award. Recently Afineevsky and his movie CRIES FROM SYRIA earned 4 Emmy nominations. Evgeny was last at FLIFF in 2017 when his film won Best Documentary. We are thrilled to welcome him back with this magnificent film.

co-sponsored by Sharon Kersten & Kersten Communications

and Estelle Fineberg & Estelle Fineberg Counseling