REGINA Inspiring. Intelligent. Catholic.
The Unknown Catholic
Genocide An Interview with Jim Morlino of Navis Pictures
Volume 9 | October 2014 www.reginamag.com
A
friend suggested ‘Why don’t you do the War of the Vendée?’Jim Morlino recounts. And I said, ‘The what?’ I’d never heard the word; I had no idea what he was talking about. That was a period of history and an event that had escaped me.” The War of the Vendee (1793 to 1796) was an armed rebellion against the French Republican troops
2
Regina Magazine | October 2014
which resulted in a massacre of over 100,000 Catholics – men, women and children – in the west of France. As an early modern example of revisionist history, this shocking genocide was completely whitewashed from French history, and in fact until recently denied by the French government.
MASS BEFORE BATTLE: Young actors re-enact the common practice in the Catholic army to confess, hear Mass and to consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart through Mary before entering battle.
France Volume 9 | Regina Magazine
3
Due to the film’s positive reception, Jim was invited to work on The Hidden Rebellion, a documentary about the War of the Vendée. This afforded Jim and his wife the opportunity to visit France for the first time. Among the Morlinos’ favorite
4
Regina Magazine | October 2014
experiences were observing historical reenactors portraying important battles of the Vendée War and meeting historian Reynald Secher as well as descendants of Jacques Cathelineau and Henri de la Rochejaqueleinm.
MORLINO’S FILM FEATURES AN EXCELLENT SCORE composed by Kevin Kaska, who offered his talents after seeing Navis Picture’s St. Bernadette of Lourdes. The film has garnered many awards including Best Film for Young Audiences at the 2012 Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film festival.
France Volume 9 | Regina Magazine
5
The Unknown Catholic Genocide Young Actors
“There is something intrinsically beautiful and valuable in capturing and celebrating the creativity of young people as well as watching them give their talents to God and to Our Lady,” Morlino explained, adding, “Well, I love kids, number one. I love my own and, by extension, we are blessed with a great group of other Catholic kids who come from families with a similar philosophy as us.” Jim described his youthful actors as respectful, attentive and well read. “I find that this type of young person makes for a natural actor. When I studied acting formally, we were often encouraged to recapture certain elements of our youth to use on stage such as our innocence and emotional availability. I’ve found that many times these kids already have those basic building blocks. They don’t have the artifice that adults do.” 6
Regina Magazine | October 2014
NAVIS PICTURES’ FILMS ARE CAST ENTIRELY WITH YOUNG CATHOLICS, not professional actors.
France Volume 9 | Regina Magazine
7
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE VENDEE? After exploring the making of The War of the Vendée, our conversation naturally segued into the historical events that inspired the film. “These were happy poor, many of whom, like most of Western Europe, were subsistence farmers. The Church provided spiritual sustenance for these farmers and the people of
8
Regina Magazine | October 2014
France by running hospitals and schools i Contrary to prevailing opinion, “the Revo popular uprising against abuses of monar the resistance wasn’t confined to the Vend similar revolts all through France,” accord
in addition to aiding the poor.� olution was not a widespread rchy and corrupt church. And dÊe or to Brittany. There were ding to Morlino.
France Volume 9 | Regina Magazine
9
The Unknown Catholic Genocide
THE EMBLEM OF THE CATHOLIC OPPOSITION WAS THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS a devotion which began seventy years prior to the Revolution through the preaching of St. Louis de Montfort. The people had a childlike faith and a great reverence for their priests and nuns who brought them Christ. They also had a great devotion to Our Lady and the rosary. Many of the soldiers incor-
10
Regina Magazine | October 2014
porated rosary beads as part of their uniform and their motto was “For God and King.” It reminded them that they were fighting for God’s rights as well as their own.
France Volume 9 | Regina Magazine
11
The Unknown Catholic Genocide
BATTLE SCENE: How were the Catholic soldiers able to simultaneously fight for and remain faithful to their Catholic values?
Jim clarified how, despite the horrific efforts of the Infernal Columns to wipe out resistance to the Revolution and to eliminate the Catholic population, the Vendean soldiers conducted themselves with dignity and honor.
Though they fought with cunning and used their knowledge of the land to their advantage, the Vendeans also treated captured Republican soldiers humanely, even when this was difficult.
“The architects of the French Revolution knew exactly what their generals were doing, as proved by documentation which still exists in the National Archives.”
On one occasion, when his soldiers wanted to exact revenge against Republican prisoners, Louis d’Elbée urged them to recite the Our Father. At the words, “forgive us our
12
Regina Magazine | October 2014
trespasses,� the Vendeans’ anger dissipated and they abandoned their plans for retribution. Later, on his deathbed, Vendee commander Charles de Bonchamps pardoned five thousand captured Republicans. This act was commemorated by a statue designed by the French sculptor Pierre Jean David, whose father was among the pardoned.
From the perspective of more than two centuries later, it is clear that the sacrifice of these Vendeans ensured the survival of the Faith in France. For more information about Jim Morlino, and the films of Navis Pictures or to purchase a copy of The War of the Vendee, visit their website:: www,navispictures.com
France Volume 9 | Regina Magazine
13