''The Pope's Toilet'' () is a 2007 Uruguayan film directed by
César Charlone and
Enrique Fernandez, starring
César Troncoso, Virginia Méndez, and Mario Silva.
Plot
It is 1988, and
Melo, a
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
an town on the Brazilian border, awaits the visit of Pope
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
. Numbers begin circulating: hundreds of people will come, thousands say the media. To the poor citizens of Melo this means pilgrims in need of food and drink, paper flags, souvenirs, and commemorative medals. Brimming with enthusiasm, the locals hope not only for divine blessing but also a small share of material happiness. Petty smuggler Beto is certain that he's found the best business idea of all: "The Pope’s Toilet", where the thousands of visiting pilgrims can find relief.
Beto is thwarted by lack of funds and the local mobile customs enforcement officer. Ultimately the promised "60,000 to 200,000" Brazilians do not materialise. Apparently (in the film's postscript) only 400 Brazilians came, disproportionately served by 387 stalls for food and trinkets. The film makes it clear that the visit was a financial disaster to the town rather than bringing any wealth as promised. Beto has spent his daughter's college fund to no avail, but she forgives him, and at least he has a nice toilet.
Regardless of the claims made in the film's postscript committed to uphold a good sense of humor at all costs, international media reported the Pope's open-air mass in the town of Melo with 39,000 inhabitants was attended by a crowd of about 50,000 people.
Cast
*
César Troncoso as Beto
*Virginia Méndez as Carmen
*Virginia Ruiz as Silvia
*Mario Silva as Valvulina
*Henry de Leon as Nacente
*Jose Arce as Tica
*Nelson Lence as Meleyo
*Rosário dos Santos as Tereza
*
Hugo Blandamuro as Tartamudo
Release
The film was Uruguay's submission to the
80th Academy Awards for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
, but was not accepted as a nominee.
It is available in the United States from
filmmovement.com.
BBC Four premiered the film on British television on 1 August 2010.
See also
*
Cinema of Uruguay
*
List of submissions to the 80th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Popes Toilet, The
2007 films
2007 drama films
Uruguayan drama films
2000s Spanish-language films
Films about Pope John Paul II
Cerro Largo Department
Melo, Uruguay
Films set in Uruguay
Films shot in Uruguay
2000s Uruguayan films
Spanish-language Brazilian films
Spanish-language drama films