New Pope Francis Doc to Debut on discovery+

discovery+ has acquired Francesco, a documentary feature about Pope Francis from Oscar-nominated director and producer Evgeny Afineevksy.

With unprecedented access to Pope Francis, Francesco covers such topics as climate change, migration and refugees, women’s empowerment, sexual abuse and LGBTQ issues, the pandemic, border walls and more with the religious leader. Francesco will begin streaming globally on discovery+ on March 28.

In addition to Pope Francis, the film features interviews with his nephew Jose Ignacio Bergoglio, His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, as well as Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim and activist for survivors of sexual abuse, and Sister Norma Pimentel, an advocate for refugees.

Lisa Holme, group senior VP of content and commercial strategy for Discovery, Inc., said: “It is an honor to host the global premiere of Francesco on discovery+, spotlighting an intimate look at one of the world’s most beloved and influential leaders, Pope Francis. We are thrilled to work with a powerful storyteller like Evgeny on this important project, which is emblematic of our ability to expand our documentary programming aperture on discovery+ to serve subscribers around the world with a diverse and growing slate of originals.”

Afineevksy added: “I am tremendously honored that Pope Francis allowed me to witness and create this inspirational monument dedicated to the most pressing issues facing humanity today. His commitment to people around the world will lead us out of this difficult historical moment and into a brighter future. He is a beacon of light in this world for many and strives every day to enlighten people on how to build a bridge to a better tomorrow. It is extremely exciting to partner with discovery+ to bring his story to people around the world on the same day.”