The Vatican is making an unprecedented push for Academy Award recognition with Green Lava, a 39-minute documentary that follows the extraordinary life of 25-year-old Giacomo Mattivi, an Italian man living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
The film, which has been presented in Los Angeles as part of the qualification process for Oscar consideration, offers an intimate portrait of Mattivi, his family, his faith and his determination to continue pursuing his ambitions despite a debilitating illness.
If selected, the production would mark the first time a film connected to the Holy See has entered the Oscars competition.
A story shaped by loss and resilience
At the centre of Green Lava is Mattivi’s experience of watching his older brother, who also had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, die following a respiratory crisis.
Co-director Lia Beltrami said the documentary does not avoid the painful reality of that moment or the impact it had on Giacomo, who understands that his own condition is progressive.
Yet the filmmakers also wanted to portray a different side of his story: his refusal to allow the disease to define the limits of his life.
Beltrami, who directed the documentary alongside Ali Aksu, described the story as one in which death and hope exist alongside one another.
Life with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Mattivi’s physical abilities have changed dramatically over the course of his life.
As a child, he was able to walk. Today, he relies on a wheelchair and has very limited movement in his hands and head, which he uses to control his chair.
He also spends many hours connected to a ventilator.
Despite these challenges, the documentary presents him as an intellectually curious young man who is studying sociology and hopes to become a sociologist.
His daily routine requires extensive assistance, reflecting the demanding reality faced by families caring for people with severe forms of muscular dystrophy.
Family life at the heart of the documentary
The film also focuses heavily on Mattivi’s parents and their experience of raising two children with the same serious condition.
Beltrami explained that the documentary portrays a family forced to confront the knowledge that their children’s lives would involve significant physical challenges and could be shorter than expected.
Even ordinary moments, such as getting out of bed in the morning, can require hours of support.
Rather than presenting the family solely through the lens of illness, however, the production explores how they have continued to find meaning and purpose amid those circumstances.
Faith plays a central role
Faith is another important element of Mattivi’s story.
The documentary shows how his Catholic faith has helped him and his family confront suffering, loss and questions about mortality.
Mattivi has also found a way to give meaning to his brother’s death. His own sociology studies have led him towards a subject that remains uncomfortable for many people: death.
He is preparing a thesis examining death and the realities surrounding it, including questions about what may happen beyond life and how people approach the period leading up to death.
Why the film is called Green Lava
The documentary’s unusual title comes from two contrasting images that are significant to Mattivi.
The green of the pine trees surrounding his home in the Dolomites represents an important part of his life, while lava evokes the power and energy of a volcano.
Beltrami said Mattivi identifies with that volcanic force and sees the lava as something that must continue flowing rather than becoming rigid or lifeless.
The imagery runs throughout the film, with the spectacular Dolomite landscape providing the backdrop to his personal story.
From the Dolomites to Hollywood
Green Lava recently made its appearance in California as part of its route towards potential Academy Award consideration.
The documentary was screened at the Lumiere Music Hall in Beverly Hills from September 18 to 24, giving the production an opportunity to meet the requirements for consideration in the Best Documentary Short Subject category.
The film was produced by the Vatican through Emotions to Generate Change, working alongside Vatican News and Vatican Media.
A first for a Vatican-linked production
The Oscar campaign represents a significant first for a production associated with the Holy See.
However, Green Lava is not officially competing as a Vatican entry. The Best Documentary Short Subject category permits independent productions to enter and does not require a film to be submitted through a government or national selection committee.
The production’s Oscar journey therefore rests on the film meeting the Academy’s eligibility requirements and subsequently being considered through the normal awards process.
For the filmmakers, the Hollywood campaign provides an international platform for a deeply personal story about disability, family, faith, mortality and the determination to keep moving forward despite profound physical limitations.
