“Cabrini,” directed by Alejandro Monteverde -- one of the best films in 2024!

 “Cabrini”

 “Cabrini" -- one of the best films of 2024 -- opens on Women's Day, March 8th.

 “Cabrini,” directed by Alejandro Monteverde, is truly exceptional. From the opening frame to the last, Monteverde’s rich, cinematic storytelling transports us back to a time in New York when non-English speaking immigrants, like the Italians, faced brutal restrictions, open sexism, and racism.

The film is based on the true story of Francesca Cabrini, one of the most inspiring and influential figures in modern history, yet her story remains unknown to many. It begins when Italian immigrant Cabrini arrives in America in 1889, encountering disease, crime, and impoverished children in New York's slums. Armed with a fearless spirit and a compassionate heart, Cabrini embarks on a daring mission to persuade the hostile mayor to secure housing and healthcare for society's most vulnerable. Despite her broken English and poor health, Cabrini harnesses her entrepreneurial mind to build an empire of hope unlike anything the world had ever seen.

Francesca Cabrini is indeed one of the most inspiring and influential figures in modern history, yet her story remains largely untold. Essentially, she became the first American saint of the Catholic Church.

According to the website dedicated to Cabrini's organization, Francesca Xavier Cabrini was born in 1850 in the village of S’ant Angelo Lodigiano, near Milan, Italy. She was the youngest of thirteen children and desired to join a Catholic order to serve her God and her church. Although she wished to serve under the Daughters of the Sacred Heart—an order that had taught and mentored her—her poor health prevented her from doing so.

However, Cabrini did not allow these setbacks to deter her. In 1880, she and seven other sisters founded their own order: the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her determined efforts led her to meet Pope Leo XIII. Although she and her sisters initially requested to be sent as missionaries to China, the Pope sent them to New York to serve thousands of Italians who had immigrated to the States.

Immigrants in New York, especially those from Italy whom Cabrini and the Sisters served, were severely impoverished. Cabrini aimed to provide for the orphans and offer education to all the immigrants. Eventually, she established 67 schools, hospitals, and orphanages worldwide. Cabrini worked tirelessly for the betterment of the world until her death in 1917. She was canonized as a saint in 1946 and named Patroness of Immigrants in 1950.

“Faced with seemingly insurmountable life obstacles, Cabrini chose instead to focus on how she could change the status quo in her time, and her impact on the world is still felt today,” said Liz Ellis, Chief Operating Officer at Angel Studios. “We’re thrilled to be able to share her unbelievable story in theaters this Spring. This will be our second collaboration with SOUND OF FREEDOM Director Alejandro Monteverde—and the Angel Guild gave this film even higher ratings than SOUND OF FREEDOM.”

This marks Angel Studios' reunion with director Monteverde, who achieved monumental success last summer with the anti-child trafficking movie, “Sound of Freedom,” grossing $180M at the domestic box office.

Monteverde stands as one of the best directors working today. His ability to create a dreamlike world infused with realism is astounding.

Kudos to composer Gene Back; editor Brian Scofield; casting directors Denise Chamian (LA Casting), Frank Rossi, and Julie Schubert (NY Casting); and production designer Carlos Lagunas.

The work of DP Gorka Gómez Andreu is jaw-droppingly beautiful. Andreu, a Spanish cinematographer, boasts more than 12 international cinematography awards. He holds degrees in Audiovisual Journalism from Universidad de Navarra and TAI School for Direction of Photography.

“Cabrini,” directed by Alejandro Monteverde, deserves a perfect 10 out of 10 rating.