Harvey Keitel, Sonia Braga to star in “Fatima”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Arclight Films on Thursday, May 18 unveiled new drama Fatima, starring Harvey Keitel and Sonia Braga (Aquarius), The Hollywood Reporter reveals.

The film, currently in preproduction, will be directed by Marco Pontecorvo (Partly Cloudy With Sun). Based on a true story, the film dramatizes the story of three children who said they witnessed several apparitions of the Virgin Mary sharing apocalyptic prophecies in Fatima, Portugal. Two of them died during a 1918-1917 influenza pandemic and were made saints last week by Pope Francis.

"We’re thrilled to be working with the incredible team behind Fatima including the remarkably talented Harvey Keitel and Sonia Braga," said Gary Hamilton, managing director of Arclight Films. "Cannes is the perfect place to introduce buyers to this heartfelt and timely film, whose main characters were just this week canonized by the Pope, and that has an impressive, built-in audience around the world."

He added: "Fatima is a highly commercially viable film that remains true to its miraculous message. The story of Fatima is what real-live legends are made of.”

Two of the prophecies were interpreted as foretelling a world war and the rise of Soviet Communism. The Roman Catholic Church validated the children’s visions and turned Fatima into Portugal’s main pilgrimage site. The shrine is nowadays visited by more than 5 million people a year.

The lead producers of the film will be James Volk, chairman and founder of Origin Entertainment, Frida Torresblanco of Braven Films, Dick Lyles, CEO of Origin Entertainment, Rose Ganguzza of Rose Pictures and Natasha Howes.