The Vatican is preparing to submit “Green Lava,” a 39-minute documentary short about a young Italian man living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, for Oscar consideration.
If the submission moves forward, it will mark the first time a film produced by the Vatican has entered the Academy Awards process in the 97-year history of the Oscars.
The film will premiere in Los Angeles this week before its production team completes the paperwork required for Oscar consideration in the Best Documentary Short Film category.
“Green Lava” is scheduled to screen from Sept. 18 through Sept. 24 at the Lumiere Music Hall in Beverly Hills.
A Story About Life With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
The documentary follows Giacomo Mattivi, a young Italian man living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
The story also centers on Giacomo’s life after the death of his brother, Mattia, who succumbed to Duchenne.
According to the film’s synopsis, Giacomo challenges expectations surrounding his condition and finds strength through his community and the natural world around him.
The film was shot against the backdrop of the Dolomites, with the mountains and surrounding landscape playing an important role in the story.
Promotional material describes “Green Lava” as a reflection on independence, the human spirit and the power of community when people face adversity.
Why the Vatican’s Role Is Historic
Although the film is being produced with the involvement of Vatican institutions, it is important to distinguish its Oscar status from an official national submission.
Unlike the International Feature Film category, documentary shorts do not require an official submission or endorsement from a national government or a country-specific committee.
That means “Green Lava” will not formally represent the Vatican as a country in the Oscar race.
Instead, the significance comes from the fact that a Vatican-produced film is entering the Academy Awards consideration process for the first time.
Vatican Communication Office Supports the Film
Paolo Ruffini, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, said the organization was pleased to have the opportunity to bring Giacomo’s story to a wider audience.
The dicastery oversees the Vatican’s television, radio, online, publishing and newspaper operations.
Ruffini described “Green Lava” as a celebration of life and friendship and said Giacomo’s experience illustrates what people living with illness can contribute to the relationships and communities around them.
The Vatican’s involvement extends beyond promotion. “Green Lava” was produced by director-producer Lia Beltrami’s Emotions to Generate Change in collaboration with Vatican News, Radio Vaticana and Vatican Media.
Directors Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu
“Green Lava” is directed by Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu.
Beltrami has a personal connection to the story. She lives in the same village in the Dolomites as Giacomo and his family.
She said the community surrounding Giacomo has responded with kindness and inclusion, highlighting the role families and local communities can play when someone is living with a serious condition.
For Beltrami, the film is also an attempt to show how that sense of community can inspire people beyond the Dolomites.
A Film Built Around Community
At the center of “Green Lava” is the relationship between individual independence and the support of other people.
Giacomo’s story is not presented only through his medical condition. The film also focuses on his connection to the people around him and to the natural environment of the mountains.
The Dolomites provide the film with a distinctive setting while reinforcing its themes of resilience, independence and belonging.
The production team hopes the documentary can introduce Giacomo’s experience to an international audience while highlighting the community that has supported him.
‘Green Lava’ and the 2027 Oscars
The planned submission comes as filmmakers around the world begin positioning their films for the next Academy Awards cycle.
For “Green Lava,” the immediate step is its Los Angeles theatrical screening. After the Sept. 18-24 run, the team is expected to complete the formal paperwork needed to submit the documentary for Oscar consideration.
The film would then enter the Academy’s documentary short-film process rather than the international feature competition.
Its historic significance is therefore tied to the Vatican’s role as a film producer and collaborator, rather than the Vatican competing as a country.
What Makes ‘Green Lava’ Different
The documentary combines a personal story about Duchenne muscular dystrophy with broader themes of family, friendship, independence and community.
Its setting in the Dolomites also gives the film a strong connection to the natural world.
For the filmmakers and Vatican communication officials involved with the project, the Oscar submission process represents an opportunity to bring Giacomo’s story to viewers who may never otherwise encounter it.
The film’s Los Angeles screening will be the next public step before the production team moves forward with its Oscar consideration paperwork.
