Martin Scorsese recently shared his thoughts on various topics,ranging from his Sicilian heritage to his disapproval of Donald Trump’s leadership. Describing teh former president as “a disappointment,” Scorsese emphasized the importance of compassion and human connection, qualities he finds lacking in the previous administration. He stated that they “relish in the opposite-to hurt peopel.And this is sad. Tragic. They say they aren’t, but they do.”

Scorsese was in Sicily to accept a lifetime achievement award at the Taormina Film Festival.He sees this trip not as a mere visit but as “a return,” acknowledging the profound influence of his Sicilian grandparents, who immigrated to New York in the early 20th century. during the festival, he engaged with film students in a masterclass, walked the red carpet with his daughter Francesca, attended the awards ceremony, and participated in a midnight screening of his renowned film, Taxi Driver, at the Teatro Antico.

Scorsese’s Sicilian Roots and Creative Inspirations

In Taormina, Scorsese delved into his origins, calling them a vocation, and religion, as well as democracy in peril in a divided America. “My father was from Polizzi Generosa, my mother from Ciminna,” he told the students,.”For me to be here is not a visit-it’s a return. I learned so much from my family.” He also reflected on his upbringing in New York, where he was “immersed in Sicilian culture, in a very tough environment. Two opposite worlds coexisted around me: on the one hand, faith, compassion; on the other, organized crime. And perhaps therein lies the origin of everything I tell in my films: faith and gangsters.”

“I grew up in New York immersed in Sicilian culture, in a very tough environment… faith, compassion; organized crime.”

Upcoming Projects Focused on Religion

Scorsese’s upcoming projects are deeply rooted in religious themes. He is currently working on a new film about Jesus, a series exploring the lives of saints, and a documentary about the late Pope Francis. Despite the serious subject matter, Scorsese maintains a positive attitude, frequently enough smiling even during intense discussions.

“I’m still working on an approach to the story on Jesus in the contemporary work,” he told a small group of Italian journalists.”And I think it’ll take me into next year before I have the proper approach.

He also shared a story about his early filmmaking aspirations: “This goes back to the early ’60s, where I wanted to make a film based on the gospels in the lower east side of New York-in the tenements and the slums where I grew up.I had it planned out, and I was beginning to be involved with some kind of filmmaking based in NYU-which are very small at the time, only 30 students. Now there’s thousands. We were going to do it in black and white, of course.And then I saw The Gospel According to St. Matthew. And I had to find another way.”

Scorsese has met Pope Francis on several occasions and is in the process of completing his film about the pontiff, titled Aldeas-A New Story. The film was shot in various locations, including Sicily, gambia, and the Amazon rainforest. “It’s really about storytelling,” says Scorsese, “getting to be acquainted with other cultures, other ways of thinking and learning about people, learning about each other.” He mentioned that he drew inspiration from the Netflix miniseries Stories of a Generation – With Pope Francis, released in 2021, in which he also participated. “It was about advice from the elderly. I was one of the elderly.”

Addressing concerns about the focus on the new pope’s national origins, Scorsese stated, “The fact that it’s ‘American,’ I dont’t see it,” says Scorsese. “Whomever becomes pope,I see as the pope of all. It’s not Argentinian, Nigerian, Filipino: it has to be the pope of all.” He emphasized the importance of inclusivity within the Church: “The church at this point in time has to retain its soul and its heart, but at the same time include the world,” says Scorsese. “And I think from what I’ve read about him, I think he has the right approach.”

Scorsese believes that working towards peace is the most pressing issue. “Peace is about knowledge, too. Peace is about knowing where the people are, and lessening greed.In a way, one doesn’t just make peace,-one has to deal with the problems of each person. You may not agree politically, but each one has to live. And so this begins the possibility of peace.”

He also touched upon the importance of spirituality in his life: “When I was very young, one of the places that I found some kind of solace was in the cathedral downtown-St. Patrick’s. And there was a priest who was really good with us, a young priest who was very tough and strong and introduced us to literature like Graham Green, James Joyce, James Baldwin.”