Vatican City: Green Lava, a documentary short made in collaboration with the Vatican, begins its Oscar qualification journey with screenings in Beverly Hills from September 18 to 24. The film tells the story of Giacomo Mattivi, a young man living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy whose approach to life, creativity and faith has become the centre of the documentary.
The screenings at the Lumiere Music Hall are an important step for the film as it seeks qualification in the Best Documentary Short Film category at the Academy Awards.
Directed by Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu, Green Lava is produced by Emotions to Generate Change in collaboration with Vatican News, Vatican Radio and Vatican Media, which are part of the Dicastery for Communication. The film is in Italian with English subtitles and was first presented in Rome on January 25, 2025, during the Jubilee of the World of Communications.
At the centre of the documentary is Giacomo, 22, from Baselga di Piné in the province of Trento. He uses a wheelchair and a ventilator because of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but his life extends far beyond his illness. He studies sociology, works as a catechist, writes poetry and has a strong interest in cinema, music and nature.
His daily life includes university studies, football with friends, a small egg selling business and time with his family. Giacomo also carries the memory of his brother Mattia, who died in January 2022 from the same condition.
After Mattia’s death, the Mattivi family chose to remain open to others rather than withdraw into grief. Through the social promotion association Shemà and the Casa Iride project, Giacomo’s parents, Stefano and Lara, work with young people in Baselga di Piné, with a focus on welcome, inclusion and education for peace.
Giacomo’s story had previously been explored through a five part podcast produced by Vatican Radio and Vatican News in 2024. The series, titled Il talento di Giacomo. Il viaggio di un giovane poeta dalla disabilità all’ispirazione, followed how poetry, music and faith helped him transform difficult experiences and the loss of his brother into creativity, listening and openness to others.
For Giacomo, the growing reach of Green Lava matters more than personal recognition. He sees the film as an opportunity to share its message with a wider audience, particularly at a time of uncertainty and global tensions. He believes the story can encourage people to recognise the good within themselves.
He also connects the film with Pope Francis’ emphasis on fraternity, community and care for creation. Giacomo said he was particularly pleased to see these themes reflected in the documentary and expressed hope that Pope Francis’ legacy would continue.
The young man also speaks about how illness can change the way a person sees the world. While acknowledging the difficulties involved, he says that looking at illness from another perspective can lead to a deeper understanding of suffering and its meaning. He compares this ability to move forward with nature, which continually finds ways to reclaim its space.
For director Lia Beltrami, making the film was a major challenge. She describes Giacomo’s strength, joy and depth as central to the story and sees the lives of Giacomo, Mattia and the wider community of the Piné Plateau as examples of authenticity and solidarity. She said the Hollywood screenings offer an opportunity to show the meaning and strength of a life lived in faith.
Co director Ali Aksu, who is also a film producer and founder of Untold, a platform focused on socially impactful content, said he was grateful to be part of Giacomo’s journey. He described his role in the project as bringing lesser known stories to a wider audience and using storytelling to inspire people through social purpose.
Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, recalled Green Lava’s presentation during the Jubilee of Communications and a comparison Giacomo made about the difficulty of seeing through fogged glasses.
For Ruffini, the documentary offers a way of clearing that kind of limited vision. He described Green Lava as a film that brings viewers into a journey shaped by life and friendship and presents another way of seeing vulnerability.
As Green Lava reaches Beverly Hills, the film’s Oscar qualification adds a new stage to a story that began with Giacomo’s personal experiences, his family and his community. Its journey is also an opportunity to share his message that vulnerability can be viewed differently, helping people find hope and continue moving forward.