On the occasion of the anniversary of the death of Don Oreste Benzi (2 November 2007), it arrives at the cinema from 31 October The madman of God, the path of Don Oreste Benzi, directed by Kristian Gianfreda.
The docu-film tells the life and battles of Don Oreste Benzi, the “parish priest with the threadbare cassock”, founder of the Pope John XXIII Community and who, thanks to the strength of his faith, his courage and the unshakable conviction that every life has the right to exist, he managed to change the history of thousands of people.
Early 1970s: Don Benzi is a visionary dreamer convinced that he can change the world, but no one gives him credit. With the help of a ragtag group of volunteers he carries out projects and opens shelters in Italy and around the world. In particular, in the 90s, Don Oreste, despite the criticism and disbelief of the people, brings to light the drama of enslaved prostitution. From that moment until his death in 2007, Don Oreste never stopped fighting for the least fortunate in society.
The documentary brings together the present and the past in a narrative unicum in which the depth and intimacy of Don Oreste’s words alternate with the excited voices of the television broadcasts (Teche Rai) and of the crowds gathered in the center of Rimini to demonstrate for the right to work of disabled people. Don Oreste Benzi has been defined in many ways: priest of the last, parish priest with the threadbare cassock, martyr of charitythe saint of the humble. Pope Benedict XVI remembered him as a “tireless apostle of charity”. For Don Oreste Benzi the beatification process is underway, which led him to be declared a Servant of God and which is now being examined by the Congregation of Saints at the Holy See.
«I have never minded being unscrupulous. Unscrupulous means not putting limits on the God who comes, on the adventure. I have always liked adventure, in the etymological sense of the term: something that comes, and therefore wasn’t there. I like to go towards what comes, not stay stuck in what was there.”
Don Oreste Benzi
the documentary. produced by “Coffee Time Film” of Rimini, an independent film production company in which people who grew up alongside Don Oreste workis created thanks to the support of the Film Commission Emilia-Romagna, the Ministry of Culture – Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual and some local companies that have chosen to invest in the project: Coop. Social Club “La Fraternità”, Coop. Social Club “Il Calabrone – Cremona”, Coop. Social “Pope John XXIII Community”, the Company “Vertical Srl”, “Gruppo Società Gas Rimini Spa”
Kristian Gianfreda in his second feature film after his debut in 2019 with the film Only beautiful things. In addition to the director, the documentary is signed by Giacomo Giubilini, screenwriter and Rai editorial consultant and Miriam Febei of the Papa Giovanni XXIII Community Association and collaborator of Coffee Time Film. Luca Nervegna takes care of photography and camera, Matteo Parisini edits and the original soundtrack is by Daniele Torri and Matteo Santini.
