Once again, controversy surrounds this film, which will be released in two parts in 2027, coinciding with Good Friday and Ascension Day.
The choice of Polish actress Kasia Smutniak to play the Virgin Mary has not thrilled the more conservative sector of the Polish Catholic Church, as she is pro-choice and an advocate for refugees. In contrast, Mel Gibson is anti-abortion. Neither has commented on the matter.
Kasia, 46, is one of the most beautiful women in her country, although her career has mostly taken place in Italy. From a young age, she had an unusual passion for learning new things that involved some risk, so by the age of 16, she already had a glider pilot's license. She inherited this passion for flying from her father, a Polish Air Force general who was quite strict.
At that same age, she was discovered to become a model. Kasia accepted the proposal immediately and began traveling the world. As an independent woman, she was never afraid to accept projects in any country since she speaks Polish, Russian, English, and Italian. For four years, she traveled extensively, becoming known even in Japan.
But the time came to settle down, and after considering London and Barcelona, she ultimately chose Rome. There, she made her film debut at 21 with Al momento giusto (2000). Three years later, during the filming of Radio West, she met Pietro Taricone, a handsome Italian man who had gained great popularity thanks to the first edition of Big Brother.
They did not have to wait long to have children, as their only daughter, Sophie, was born in September 2004, inheriting the beautiful features of her parents. The couple bought a house in the countryside about thirty kilometers from the Italian capital, where they planted trees, started raising animals, and found the longed-for peace after tense work moments. Their relationship had its ups and downs, but they eventually reconciled. Kasia and Pietro both enjoyed outdoor activities, especially skydiving. Therefore, on June 29, 2015, they decided to go to Terni, in the Umbria region.
That would be their last time. Pietro had an accident that caused him such severe injuries that it led to his death. In one of the tributes Kasia paid to him on social media, she wrote: "I know that at that moment he was happy. Before jumping, he blew me a kiss, making a funny face, everyone laughed. Then he jumped. He didn't realize anything, he died with a smile on his face. He was by his side." And she added: "If I could choose a way to die, I would also want to die like that: at the happiest moment of life."
It was a tough time because their daughter Sophie was just a teenager. But gradually, they began rebuilding their lives without forgetting Pietro. Acting brought Kasia back to life. "I come from a military family, they were ashamed of me for ten years," the actress said on the program I Lunatici on Radio 2. Her parents always wanted their daughter to choose aserious career, until they finally accepted what truly made her happy.
Among her most notable films are Tutta colpa di Giuda (2009), From Paris with Love (2010), and Perfect Strangers (2016). At the Venice Film Festival, she is usually one of the regular muses and even served as its godmother at the 69th edition in 2012. Naturally curious, two years ago she made her directorial debut with the documentary Mur, which narrates the serious refugee crisis in Poland.
During the creative process of this documentary, she always had the support of her husband, producer Domenico Procacci (65), whom she fell in love with shortly after Pietro's death. In 2014, they had a son named Leone, and five years later, they got married.
After 30 years of her career and experiencing motherhood, Kasia Smutniak reflected in Grazia magazine, confessing that she has never pursued "success. I didn't focus on my career, not even at the beginning, and even less now that I have chosen to start a family. Life comes before cinema."