YouTube Orders Pope Francis Environmental Doc

YouTube Originals has ordered Laudato Si’, a feature-length documentary from Off the Fence about Pope Francis’s environmental encyclical.

Produced in partnership with the Laudato Si’ Movement and in collaboration with the Vatican, the doc centers on Pope Francis’s second encyclical and provides a call to action on protecting the planet and each other. It is slated to debut on YouTube in early 2022.

Laudato Si’ offers a wake-up call and a reminder of our responsibility as a society to come together in solidarity for the preservation of the planet. It follows the personal stories of several characters connected to the climate crisis and calls upon communities and individuals to lead change on the local, national and international levels.

Currently in production, Laudato Si’ is written and directed by Nicolas Brown.

Nadine Zylstra, head of family, learning and impact for YouTube Originals, said: “Sustainability and climate action are key areas of focus for our YouTube Originals programming. Off the Fence’s expertise in this space makes them the perfect fit to bring Pope Francis’s critical message to our global audience.”

Leila Monks, Off the Fence’s head of commissioning, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with YouTube on this incredible project. Their reach will ensure everybody has access to the film, and their creativity in content and form means a whole generation will be engaged with Laudato Si’’s important message.”

Ellen Windemuth, Laudato Si’ producer and co-CEO of Off the Fence, said: “This film is the place where people of many faiths convene with scientists to embrace Pope Francis’s vision for the future of our planet. Our film will adapt this important message into a beautiful character-driven story, shot all over the world.”