It seems that every child loves to act. Toddlers love to make parents believe they are in the throes of hunger or dying from not getting what they want. Give a child a hat, a scarf, a pair of large shoes, or a cape and suddenly the child has become any number of fantasy characters with amazing abilities. Formal acting in school plays or community theater is often a mode of expression for children. They dream of being movie stars and being on the big screen.
There is a Catholic company that gives children the opportunity to act on the big screen. Jim Morlino, remembering his passion for acting even as a child, has founded a company that makes movies acted solely by children. The company, called Navis Pictures, gives children the opportunity to act in an inspiring film.
The company’s first film, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, is a beautiful film with 160 children, ranging from the ages of 3 to 17 years old. All the characters, even the adult priests and soldiers, are played by children. The movie chronicles the events of Lourdes in the 1850s. Bernadette, a simple local girl, is visited by the Blessed Virgin. Through her, Mary brings healing and hope to the world. In the movie, Bernadette is played by the filmmaker’s 14-year-old daughter Genevieve Morlino. She seemed to naturally fill the part of the joyful, saintly Bernadette. Her acting was superb, and she led a cast of other talented child actors. Although at times their ages were an obstacle for serious or intense scenes and their attempt at a battle in the beginning was hardly an epic sight, the innocence and simplicity of the film made it worth seeing. The script was well-written, taking into account the children’s ages, and gave them an opportunity to express humor and love for Mary and their faith. The scenery and music were beautiful, and brought the film above a poor attempt to record child’s play.
The film emphasized the love and beauty of Mary. In the beginning, Bernadette was taunted by a local rich girl for being a “nothing.” Haunted, by these words, she approached a priest for answers to the question – “Am I nothing?” In another scene, the devil uses these words to tempt her from coming back to the grotto. Bernadette understands the answer to question in the end. Compared to the greatness of God, she knew she was nothing. But, in the eyes of God and his Mother, she was something, a precious child.
The members of the cast showed themselves to be God’s precious children. God’s truth is shown through the children’s pure and innocent lives. It is a family film that may provide the inspiration for other children to love Mary and to love to act for the glory of God!
For more information and to order this DVD, go to http://www.navispictures.com/.
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