UK’s Wag Entertainment and Italy’s Stand By Me had access to the Vatican following the death of the Pope
London-based Wag Entertainment and Italian label Stand By Me are to co-produce a BBC2 doc going inside this year’s papal conclave, Broadcast can reveal.
The two companies, which are both Fremantle labels, had access to the Vatican after the death of Pope Francis earlier this year, filming the conclave through which a new Pope was chosen.
The conclave is among the most significant and closely guarded events in the Catholic Church, where cardinals serve as electors and potential successors to the papacy.
The hour-long single Secrets of the Conclave will feature exclusive footage from the Vatican and interviews with cardinals who attended to cast their vote.
It is produced and directed by Elena Mortelliti (Pompeii: The New Dig). Executive producers for Wag Entertainment are Eliya Arman and Steven Green, with Riccardo Chiattelli and Simona Ercolani attached for Stand By Me.
The doc was ordered by the BBC’s head of specialist factual Jack Bootle with commissioning editor Daisy Scalchi, who is also head of religion and ethics.
Scalchi said: “Whether you loved the book, the movie or neither, this insight into the process of a conclave promises to be an eye-opening, world-first glimpse into one of the most important religious rituals on earth.”
Arman said: “As filmmakers, we felt it was an extraordinary privilege to hear from the cardinals themselves about what truly happened inside the Sistine Chapel. Their openness allowed us to illuminate the humanity behind a moment of immense historic and spiritual importance, giving audiences a glimpse into a world usually hidden from view.”
Ercolani added: “Thanks to our collaboration with Vatican Media, we were able to discover how 133 cardinals from around the world, guided by faith and common sense, gathered to elect the new Pope: a moment very different from how one might imagine it.
“Thanks to the BBC, this story will reach a new audience and offer them an authentic glimpse into a historic event in which the sacred and the human are at the centre.”
The special is being distributed by Wag Entertainment, which has previously produced docs including ITV’s The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist and The Real Fatal Attraction. Stand By Me is behind the Italian version of First Dates Hotel and true crime series Family Murders for Rai2.
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