Three time Academy Award winning and perhaps the most well known director of our time, Steven Spielberg is looking to fill the lead role in his upcoming film , “The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara. This is a rare opportunity to submit for a lead role in a Hollywood blockbuster movie! We all know Mr. Spielberg’s movies tend to get nominated for the top film awards.
The movie will tell the the true story of Edgardo Mortara – a 6 year old Jewish boy from Bologna who was reported to have been secretly baptized by a maid, and was deemed by the Catholic church therefore to be Christian. Pope Pius IX (to be played by Mark Rylance) decreed that the boy could not remain with his Jewish family. He was seized by the Papal State and taken to the Vatican where his indoctrination into Catholicism began. This was a cause célèbre of mid-nineteenth century European politics and the domestic and international outrage against the pontifical state’s actions may have contributed to its downfall amid the unification of Italy. This is an incredible story of real historical relevance. Continue reading