Between 1916 and 1917, Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco claimed to have witnessed six apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the village of Aljustrel, in Fátima, Portugal. It was a time of deep despair, as many men from the village had gone to war and few returned. However, rumors about Our Lady’s visits to the children spread throughout the country, attracting thousands of hopeful pilgrims. This story based on true events is what Marco Pontecorvo addresses in his new feature film: Fatima: The Story of a Miracle.
A predictable narrative structure
The film begins when Professor Nichols (Harvey Keitel) visits Sister Lúcia in her final moments – played by Sônia Braga – to study the events that Lúcia and her cousins experienced in Fátima. Throughout the narrative, we see young Lúcia (Stephanie Gil) experiencing the apparitions and teachings of the Virgin Mary, along with visits from an angel who presents himself as the Angel of Peace or Angel of Portugal. As the story spreads, dozens of faithful arrive in the village asking the Three Shepherd Children to pray for an end to the families’ suffering. Meanwhile, the secularist government, the Catholic Church, and even Lúcia’s devout mother refuse to believe the children and try to force them to close the matter.
Deep but scarce dialogues
The plot of Fatima follows a well-known line in films that recount supposedly true events: an outsider interviews the protagonist to understand how it all happened, alternating between past and present – in this case, between 1917 and 1989. We see quite a bit of the shepherd children’s journey: how they handled the arrival of Christian pilgrims and how they spread Our Lady’s messages. On some occasions, we are transported to dialogues between Harvey Keitel and Sônia Braga’s characters. Undoubtedly, it is the best part of the film: an interesting discussion about faith, belief, and skepticism, with both characters presenting solid arguments and good performances. Unfortunately, this lasts very little, almost nothing.
A missed opportunity in development
What we see most of the time is a story that unfolds in the most basic way possible, without venturing into themes or subplots that could have had more space. It is noticeable that the film wants to address discussions about faith, abuse of power, humanity, naivety, and hope, but nothing stands out. The plot stagnates in the basics, only concerned with showing the events as Lúcia explains them. For non-Christians or those unfamiliar with this type of story, the film will likely go unnoticed, as it presents nothing relevant in the narrative, characters, or cinematographic technical aspects. At most, one might find some charismatic character and a few more interesting scenes.
Standout performances amidst simplicity
What is most worth highlighting are some performances. Sônia Braga and Stephanie Gil, who represent Lúcia at different stages of her life, fulfill their roles well, as do the other children. However, the biggest highlight is Ana Lúcia Moniz, who plays Maria Rosa, Lúcia’s mother who did not believe the children and avoided at all costs her daughter having contact with the faithful, playing a “villain” role alongside the priest and the mayor. Maria Rosa is an example of a character that could have been explored in various ways but remained superficial, like the rest of the film.
In summary, Fatima: The Story of a Miracle is a niche film, like others in the genre. The true events behind the plot may attract even those unfamiliar with the subject, but they are portrayed so simply that it may be difficult to hold the attention of all viewers, despite some good performances. However, for those who know stories like the Miracle of the Shepherd Children or are interested in the Christian religion, the film may be a
Original source: www.esquinadacultura.com.br (published October 11, 2021)
Photo: Jesús Vidal on Unsplash
