Francesca Cabrini: the inspiring biopic about the nun who rebuilt hope for immigrants
Tonight at 21:20 on Canale 5, viewers can watch the TV premiere of the biopic Francesca Cabrini, a film that traces the life and tireless work of the Lombardy‑born nun who dedicated herself to helping waves of Italian migrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The film stars Cristiana Dell’Anna in the title role and features a strong international supporting cast, and it offers a moving portrait of resilience, faith and social action that still resonates today.
From a small orphanage to a global mission
Set at the end of the 1800s, the story opens in Codogno, where Francesca Cabrini and her sisters run an orphanage while Europe is undergoing mass emigration. Cabrini dreams of creating an international network of care for displaced people — schools, hospitals and orphanages — but her proposals face repeated rejection. Only after a meeting with Pope Leo XIII does she receive encouragement to go to New York to aid Italian emigrants struggling in the United States.
Key moments dramatized in the film
The narrative follows Cabrini’s arrival in New York, the resistance she meets from local authorities including Archbishop Corrigan, and the practical challenges of founding and financing institutions in a hostile environment. Her encounter with the city’s mayor (portrayed by John Lithgow in the film) becomes a turning point: a loan and civic support enable her to transform an old building into a hospital with 400 beds, offering much‑needed care for the immigrant population.
A life of action: building hospitals, schools and orphanges
Across decades, Cabrini’s energy and organisational skill lead to the foundation of dozens of institutions. The film highlights her impressive legacy: sixty‑seven foundations worldwide, including hospitals, schools and orphanages that provided stability and opportunity to thousands. Her work earned recognition after her death — she was canonised in 1946 and proclaimed the patron saint of migrants in 1950 — but the movie focuses on the human struggle and institutional hurdles she overcame while alive.
Performances and direction
Cristiana Dell’Anna brings warmth and steely resolve to the role of Francesca Cabrini, capturing both the spiritual conviction and practical tenacity that defined her life. Giancarlo Giannini plays Pope Leo XIII with measured gravitas, while David Morse and John Lithgow offer memorable supporting turns as the sceptical archbishop and the pragmatic mayor, respectively. The director balances intimate character moments with sweeping set pieces that recreate the bustling, often brutal world of immigrant New York.
Why this film matters now
Although the story is period drama, its themes are deeply contemporary. Migration, social exclusion and the role of civic institutions are urgent topics across the globe. Cabrini’s example — a woman who refused to accept bureaucratic defeat and instead built sustainable solutions — offers a model of compassionate, action‑oriented leadership. The film invites viewers to reflect on how individuals and communities can respond to humanitarian need with imagination and tenacity.
Historical accuracy and dramatic choices
The biopic remains broadly faithful to Cabrini’s public achievements while necessarily compressing events for dramatic clarity. The film emphasises her strategic partnerships, the setbacks she endured (including poor health and institutional opposition), and the practical steps she took to secure funding and establish services. These choices aim to show not only a saintly figure but a pragmatic organiser who negotiated the political and social realities of her time.
Visual style and atmosphere
Period detail is a strong suit of the film: costumes, set design and location work evoke the contrast between Lombardy’s modest beginnings and the overwhelming scale of late‑nineteenth‑century New York. The cinematography alternates between close, humanizing portraits and wider views of immigrant neighbourhoods and crowded hospital wards, creating an emotional rhythm that supports the narrative’s moral core.
Who will love this film?
Viewing tips
Prepare for emotionally intense scenes depicting poverty, illness and institutional resistance; the filmmakers handle these moments with sensitivity, focusing on dignity rather than spectacle. The film works well as a family‑viewing event for older teens and adults who want to discuss migration, compassion and agency in history and today.
