Australian actress Cate Blanchett, one of Hollywood’s most influential voices and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), visited the Vatican to participate in a meeting dedicated to world cinema. At the conclusion of her audience with Pope Leo XIV, Blanchett presented the pontiff with a solidarity bracelet symbolizing her commitment to displaced persons and refugees around the world.
On her way out of the Clementine Hall, Cate Blanchett shared that she wanted to make a simple but meaningful gesture with Pope Leo XIV. “I gave him a bracelet from the agency for refugees that I wear in solidarity with those people.”
A meeting that brought together key figures of international cinema
The bracelet Cate Blanchett gave to Pope Leo today was made by refugees and displaced women from Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
pic.twitter.com/RbPI5TH33K– Rich Raho (@RichRaho) November 15, 2025
Blanchett, who has been active with UNHCR since 2016, has conducted missions in refugee-receiving countries and has consistently used her public platform to speak out about the most severe displacement crises, including those in Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Venezuela.
The Vatican event brought together an outstanding selection of actors, actresses and directors from different countries and cinematic currents.
Among them were Monica Bellucci, Viggo Mortensen, Gaspar Noé, Spike Lee, Emir Kusturica, Spanish director Albert Serra and Italian filmmaker Marco Bellocchio, among many others.
The meeting sought to reflect on the role of cinema in contemporary society, its cultural influence and its responsibility in the midst of a world marked by conflicts, inequality and massive migrations.
The Pope’s message
During his address, U.S. pontiff Leo XIV – whose leadership has been marked by a strong focus on social issues, poverty, refugees and climate justice – shared a critical assessment of the current state of cinema.
He noted that the industry is facing a delicate moment due to the “worrying erosion” of theaters in popular neighborhoods and the displacement of community cinema by digital consumption models.
The Pope urged to protect the seventh art as a space for social encounter and encouraged the creators present not to forget the power they have to make visible the “wounds of the world”: violence, poverty, exile and displacement, war, loneliness and the growing social fragmentation.
His message, according to attendees, resonated as a call to return to a more humane, empathetic and globally aware cinema.
Cate Blanchett: “His words were extraordinary”.
Cate Blanchett left the meeting deeply moved.
“His words were extraordinary and I wish culture ministers around the world would heed them,” he told the media.
The actress noted that the pope spoke from a humanistic and compassionate point of view, inviting audiovisual creators to approach the world’s major problems with sensitivity and responsibility.
Habló de compasión y de acercarse a los problemas del mundo, permitiéndonos conectar con ellos y con sus vidas y, al hacerlo, con nuestra propia humanidad. Fue realmente inspirador
Cate Blanchett
The presentation of the bracelet symbolizes Blanchett’s main humanitarian concern: the global displacement crisis that, by 2025, will exceed 115 million people forced to flee according to UNHCR data.
The actress has insisted that art – and in particular film – can play a crucial role in generating empathy and raising public awareness of these crises.
With this visit, Blanchett not only participated in a high-level cultural encounter, but also reaffirmed her commitment to refugee advocacy, taking her cause directly to one of the most influential stages in the world.
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