Rebel Pope

As head of the Catholic Church, the Pope is one of the world’s most iconic religious figures. But before being appointed to lead the global community, he had another life. National Geographic’s film Rebel Pope delves into the life of Pope Francis when he was known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio and led an impoverished life in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

With his progressive views, Pope Francis is wildly popular with many of his followers. But not everyone shares his ideas, and he has not shied away from angering more conservative Catholics. This docu-drama explores his ideas, and how they are rooted in his former life among the poor in South America, when he was known as the Bishop of Slums.

It’s a pity that Rebel Pope is only 44 minutes long, which isn’t really enough to dive deeply into the backstory of this fascinating man.

“Rebel Pope is not perfect. But on balance, it sheds needed light on the historical, social and institutional dimensions of faith that make its individual expression possible in the first place,” reviews aleteia.org’s Matthew Becklo.