By Nicole Winfield
VATICAN CITY (AP) --The Vatican is disputing a U.S. film studio's claim that the pope is making his movie debut, saying no scenes were shot for the venture and that the pope isn't an actor.
Los Angeles-based AMBI Pictures headlined its press release: "Film Will Mark First Ever Big Screen Participation Role for the Leader of the Worldwide Catholic Church."
Monsignor Dario Vigano, the head of the Vatican's communications operation, acknowledged that he couldn't exclude that the filmmakers got hold of some clips of the pope. But in comments broadcast on Vatican Radio on Tuesday, Vigano disputed the press release claiming that Francis would "play himself" in the film "Beyond the Sun."
He said: "The pope is not an actor."
AMBI described the film as "a family adventure story where children from different cultures emulate the apostles while searching for Jesus in the world around them."
AMBI Pictures has produced a handful of releases, including Barry Levinson's "The Humbling," with Al Pacino, and an upcoming John Steinbeck adaptation by James Franco. In November, it drew headlines when it said it would remake Christopher Nolan's "Memento."
The company said "Beyond the Sun" initiated with Francis asking the filmmakers to make a movie for children that communicates Jesus's message. The press release was accompanied by photos of the pope with the filmmakers.
The Vatican works hard to control the pope's image, enforcing tough copyright restrictions on all visual media, and Vigano's reaction to the announcement was a clear sign that the Vatican didn't appreciate the hype. But Francis has been known to go his own way on several occasions, allowing friends to shoot video of him to convey messages to private gatherings: He delivered such a message to the Argentine Jewish community and to a gathering of American Pentecostals.
Vigano's comment that he couldn't exclude that the filmmakers had some footage of the pope suggested that they might have secured some video of him in the privacy of his hotel reception rooms.
The organizers said all profits from the film will go to two Argentina-based charities that help at-risk children and young adults.
The filmmakers didn't return calls requesting clarification of exactly what type of papal footage they had.
Jake Coyle reported from Los Angeles.
California governor signs law to protect children from social media addiction
California will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent beginning in 2027 under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday.
California follows New York state, which passed a law earlier this year allowing parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at limiting children's access to social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the largest technology companies in the world. Similar proposals have failed to pass in recent years, but Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law in 2022 barring online platforms from using users' personal information in ways that could harm children. It is part of a growing push in states across the country to try to address the impacts of social media on the well-being of children.
"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," Newsom said in a statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."
The law bans platforms from sending notifications without permission from parents to minors between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from September through May, when children are typically in school. The legislation also makes platforms set children's accounts to private by default.
Opponents of the legislation say it could inadvertently prevent adults from accessing content if they cannot verify their... Read More