The Ajnabee's Guide to Life

At the very start of our conversation, Moretti firmly establishes “you see, this is an important thing about my work, I like to do, not explain. I love making a film but then explaining my choices afterward bothers me. The world of cinema is full of people who talk, talk, talk, complain, complain, presume, are overly ambitious, make plans, but instead, I like to produce, to do.” It’s wonderfully refreshing to be in the company of someone who tells it exactly like it is, doesn’t manipulate or create a need to speculate on what he’s feeling and thinking. And in the world of entertainment, it’s downright unequaled.

“I remember the shirts that said ‘Thank God I’m an atheist’. Funny. But I do not think so. I’m not a believer and I’m sorry.” Nanni Moretti, 2011

I watched Nanni Moretti’s latest film, We Have a Pope (Habemus Papam), at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival back in October. What a weird place, the Middle East, to watch a film about a reluctant Catholic leader who just cannot bring himself to accept the great responsibility laid on his shoulders, one would think… And yet, I now cannot imagine a better place to watch such an inspiring, strong, thought-provoking film delving deeply into the dogmas of blind faith and the acceptance of power by a true leader.