New Carlo Acutis Documentary Premieres in Assisi Ahead of Nationwide Release
The first official documentary dedicated to the millennial saint, titled “Carlo Acutis. The young saint”, received its premiere screening on October 9, 2026, in the Hall of Conciliation of the Municipality of Assisi. The film explores the life and spiritual legacy of Carlo Acutis, a teenager who died in 2006 at the age of fifteen and was canonized by Pope Leo XIV in September 2025.
San Carlo Acutis Film Premieres in Assisi
The screening launched the local celebrations for San Carlo Acutis in Assisi ahead of the film’s wider theatrical release across Italy, which is scheduled to run from October 15 to October 21. The premiere event brought together Andrea Acutis, the father of the saint, along with director Luca Salmaso, the Bishop of the dioceses of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino and of Foligno, Monsignor Felice Accrocca, and the president of the Umbria Region, Stefania Proietti. The event also hosted the bishop emeritus of the two dioceses, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentino, alongside other civil and religious authorities.
The theatrical run places the documentary at the center of the new film series titled “The Mysteries of Faith,” a Nexo Studios project focusing on spirituality, the divine, and human existence. The production itself involves Officina della Comunicazione, Nexo Studios, and OUR FILMS (a Mediawan Company), supported by the Association of Friends of Carlo Acutis and the Cariplo Foundation.
Luca Salmaso Uses Personal Testimonies for Documentary
Director Luca Salmaso explained that the documentary approaches its subject through listening and delicate observation. The production team visited the homes of individuals who knew Acutis personally, gathering accounts from his family, friends in Assisi, his Milanese schoolteacher, and the physician who assisted him during his final illness. The project incorporates interviews with figures including his grandmother Luana Pennino, the family domestic worker Rajesh Mohur, and childhood friends Mattia and Jacopo Pastorelli.
The film also explores the physical and spiritual locations tied to Acutis’s life. Salmaso noted that the crew recorded footage in Milan, Assisi, La Verna, Fatima, and Lourdes, capturing both contemplative empty spaces and sites now filled with pilgrims. The narrative further addresses the recognized miracle involving Valeria, a 21-year-old student from Costa Rica living in Florence who survived a road accident after her mother, Liliana Vargas Valverde, prayed at the saint’s tomb in Assisi.
Monsignor Felice Accrocca Reflects on Canonization
Speaking at the premiere, Monsignor Felice Accrocca reflected on the significance of the canonization, stating that saints represent unpredictable gifts from God that require daily dedication and alignment with divine will. He expressed the hope that the young figure’s example will continue to spread a gospel message that imbues human life with meaning. The ongoing celebrations in Assisi remain centered around the Sanctuary of the Spogliazione, where Carlo Acutis is entombed and which draws approximately one million pilgrims annually ahead of the October 12 anniversary of his death.
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