Overview
- The Vatican has begun the Academy qualification process for Green Lava by scheduling public screenings at the Lumiére Music Hall in Beverly Hills from September 18 to 24 to meet the documentary-short exhibition rule.
- Green Lava is a 39-minute documentary produced by Vatican News, Radio Vaticana and Vatican Media with Emotions to Generate Change and directed by Ali Aksu and Lia Beltrami.
- The film follows Giacomo Mattivi, a young Italian with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who, after the death of his brother Mattia, finds strength in community and the natural landscape of the Dolomites.
- Because the documentary-short category does not require a national submission, the Vatican can enter Green Lava as an independent qualifying film and the production team will file the Academy paperwork after the Los Angeles run; nominees will be chosen ahead of the March 14, 2027 ceremony.
- This is the first time a Vatican-produced film has pursued Oscar consideration, a move that reflects the Holy See's growing use of audiovisual work under Pope Francis and could raise public visibility for disability and community-focused storytelling.