The Chosen. Narrating "the real Jesus".

October 9, 2021-Reading time: 2 minutes

I am also among those who have seen The Chosennot all of it, but enough to get an idea. I am referring to the series on Jesus born in the evangelical context and so far also very respectful of the Catholic sensibility. In English, the title can be either singular (Jesus the Chosen One) or plural (the Chosen Disciples): in this case it is probably plural, considering the amount of narrative time devoted to the stories of the Chosen Ones, i.e., the disciples and the apostles.

The project, which starts from the public life of Jesus, aims to narrate "the real Jesus" especially through the eyes of those who were close to him. The total narrative autonomy, free from the constraints of those who have the capital, is the reason why the promoters of the initiative have chosen to self-finance and distribute it through their website. Who sees The Chosen has the impression of being in front of a professional product, even if it is far from the standards found on Netflix or other major platforms. The actors are not famous and I can't say if they will become Hollywood stars. Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Christ, is Catholic and has an Egyptian father. Above all, he conveys the idea that Jesus is a good person, with a sense of irony and normality: someone you are lucky to find by your side in life. I like this choice, but I can't say it's the most accurate for the general public. Maria, the Lady, is decidedly older than I usually imagine, but in this the director is absolutely right. The breadth of the play allows great freedom in the creation of the "secondary" characters. 

The Chosen will undoubtedly go down in film history for the way it was produced, perhaps also for the quality of its content, and certainly because it testifies once again to the attractiveness of the person of Jesus....

The authorMauro Leonardi

Priest and writer.

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